Slaves
by Claudaujay
Summary: After a ruthless attack from all three Clans, ThunderClan has been destroyed. Only six warriors remain, imprisoned and forced to work as slaves by their captors. All hope has deserted them, but still, they are desperate to revive their lost Clan. No matter the consequences.
1. Prologue and Allegiances

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Back again with a new story called Slaves. Here's an extended summary of the story.**

 ** _After a combined attack from all three Clans, ThunderClan has been destroyed. Their leader, deputy and medicine cat have been brutalised in front of their own warriors, and their kits have been massacred. Only six members of the Clan remain- five warriors and an apprentice. The group is split up and imprisoned as slaves within the other three Clans, but all is not yet lost. After all, not everyone supported the attack…_**

 **As you've probably guessed, it's not the most uplifting of stories, but I have a lot of ideas for the story and most of the plot is already planned out. All that's left is to write it!**

 **Before I post the first real chapter, here's the prologue and allegiances.**

 **QUICK NOTE: The allegiances listed after the prologue come into effect after the attack, although the relevant ThunderClan cats from before are also mentioned.**

 **Other than that, enjoy! :D**

* * *

 _ **Slaves:**_

 **Prologue and Allegiances:**

A bright shaft of sunlight filtered in through the entrance to the medicine cat's den, illuminating it's shadowy interior. Willowflight turned over in her nest, her eyes screwed tightly shut. She had woken up before the first signs of dawn had shone through the lichen entrance, but she still felt exhausted after the previous day. One of ThunderClan's patrols had been attacked when they were patrolling the ShadowClan border, which of course, meant work for her.

The she-cat shifted over onto her side and breathed in deeply, inhaling the comfortingly familiar scents of the medicine cat den. Greenleaf was in full swing, and her herb store was stocked full of freshly picked herbs from the thriving forest. Even catmint was growing in abundance, and despite the seemingly constant threat from the other Clans, ThunderClan's morale was at an all time high due to the plentiful flow of prey in the forest.

Willowflight opened her right eye a little, before snapping it closed again. The sun was bright, and somewhat harsh compared to the bitter chill that filled the air. Willowflight was taken back by how cold it was; she'd grown accustomed to the usual sweltering heat and dryness of the Greenleaf days previously. But now that she'd opened her eyes, it was pointless to wait for her exhaustion to lull her back to sleep. Slowly, she blinked and sat up in her nest, yawning loudly.

As she did so, another scent became apparent amongst the usual aroma of the herbs in her den. The now faint, but ever present, scent of blood. She turned her head towards the shape of Eaglefang, huddled up in the corner of the den. His usual short, tawny brown fur was matted and ruffled; a few nasty looking wounds that would soon be scars writhed like snakes down his flank, covered in cobwebs. He had taken the brunt of the attack from the ShadowClan patrol, and he was still weak after his injuries. Willowflight had told him to stay in the medicine cat den with her so she could supervise his recovery.

Slowly, she padded forward, making sure not to disturb the quietly sleeping tomcat from his slumber. She inspected his wounds- the poultice she'd used yesterday seemed to have worked effectively. The bleeding had stopped due to the cobwebs and the marigold ensured that none of the wounds would get infected. Eaglefang shifted in his sleep uncomfortably as she sniffed over his pelt, before raising her head and backing away.

The medicine cat sighed. It seemed to her that not only ShadowClan, but _every_ Clan was against them at the moment, although she wasn't sure why. ThunderClan had kept to themselves over the course of the season. They hadn't intruded or involved themselves in any of the other Clan's personal affairs, as they'd often been criticised of doing in the past. So why did they all seem hostile? She recalled her last visit to the Gathering, a few sunrises ago. Her fellow medicine cats had certainly seemed a little… wary of her. The ShadowClan medicine cat, Pinefeather, especially.

She shook her, emptying her mind of the unsettling thoughts, and ducking out of the medicine cat den into the camp clearing. Only a few warriors had woken up. Many were dozing by the fresh kill pile in the early morning sun, waiting for the deputy of the Clan, Beechfoot, to organise the dawn patrol. Willowflight's eyes came to settle on a pale white she-cat sitting below the Highledge. The she-cat smiled brightly and beckoned Willowflight over with her tail. She purred, padding over and settling down beside the warrior.

'Hi Palewhisper,' Willowflight said cheerily, resting her tail neatly across her paws. 'Get a good night's sleep?'

'Yeah,' she replied, shrugging, before turning her head to look up at the leader's den. 'Those poppy seeds you gave me really helped.'

Palewhisper had been one of the cats on the patrol that had been attacked yesterday. She'd escaped without any major injuries, but hadn't been able to relax after seeing how badly Eaglefang had got hurt. Willowflight had resorted to herbs to try and get her to sleep. Palewhisper hadn't told anyone except for Willowflight, but she'd had a crush on Eaglefang since they were apprentices, although the oblivious tom payed little to no attention to her.

Palewhisper turned back to her, her blue eyes full of concern. 'Eaglefang's okay, right?' She hesitated. 'He's not injured too badly?'

Willowflight's whiskers twitched playfully. 'Oh no!' she said teasingly. 'He'll be up and moving again in no time. After all, nothing could bring down the _most handsome_ tom in ThunderClan, right Palewhisper?'

The she-cat sighed dreamily. 'Isn't he just…'

Willowflight rolled her eyes. Personally, she didn't see what her best friend saw in the tom. Sure, he was a good, strong warrior, but he'd never seemed anything more than that to the medicine cat.

Her whiskers twitched. 'Are you hungry?' she asked, gesturing towards the fresh kill pile.

Palewhisper shook her head. 'I've already eaten, but you can go and grab something.'

Willowflight nodded, before getting up to her paws and shaking herself. 'I might just.' The medicine cat turned around to leave, before stopping abruptly. 'Oh I almost forget!' she exclaimed. 'Skystar asked to see you yesterday, but I didn't get round to telling you.'

Palewhisper eyes widened in surprise. 'Really? What about?'

Willowflight shrugged. 'I'm not sure. Maybe she just wants to see you.'

Skystar was Palewhisper's mother, and obviously so, at that. The two cats were the spitting image of each other, with the same short white fur and glistening blue eyes. Although despite their strong physical resemblance, in personality they couldn't have been more different. Skystar was a very strong, authoritative she-cat, whereas Palewhisper was shy and reserved, and hated being the centre of attention.

Palewhisper glanced at her paws. 'I guess,' she murmured, before getting to her paws. 'Alright. I'll go and see her right away.'

Willowflight watched curiously as Palewhisper padded up to the top of the Highledge, before ducking under the lichen and into the leader's den. Palewhisper had always had a difficult relationship with her mother. Her father had died in a battle when she was only three moons old, and since then, Skystar had never really been the same. Palewhisper had always strived to impress her, but her mother had showed only cold indifference towards her calm determination. Willowflight felt a sudden burst of pity for her friend; she herself had never experienced such problems with her parents.

Most of the warriors had emerged from their dens when Beechfoot finally showed himself. Willowflight padded back to her den and lingered outside as the jet-black deputy announced the morning's patrols. The medicine cat watched as the chosen cats darted out of the camp and into the lush, green forest. Secretly, she prayed to StarClan that they didn't encounter any more trouble with the other Clans. She didn't want to have to treat any more cats with carelessly acquired injuries.

 _Speaking of injured cats,_ Willowflight thought, flicking her tail and ducking back into the medicine cat's den. Eaglefang looked up when she did so. His tawny brown fur was still very ruffled by his wounds, but the flair that usually remained in his eyes had returned. The tom blinked, before cricking his neck and stretching out.

'Morning Eaglefang,' Willowfeather said politely, before padding forward until she was standing beside him. 'How are your wounds feeling today?'

'Better,' he grunted, before sitting up onto his haunches. The tom winced, his muscles aching under the pressure.

Willowfeather shook her head. 'Don't try and put your body through anything too stressful until later today,' she warned. 'You might reopen your wounds.'

Eaglefang nodded absently, staring at the entrance to the den.

Willowfeather nudged him. 'Don't worry,' she told him reassuringly. 'You'll be up and about again in no time.'

The tom shook his head, before meeting Willowfeather's gaze. There was a grave look in his deep, amber eyes. 'It's not that…' he hesitated.

'Go on **,** ' the medicine cat prompted.

'It's just that I'm worried about all of the other Clan's hostility at the moment, especially after what happened yesterday,' he confessed, before looking away and breaking the eye contact. 'Their attack was completely unprovoked. We were just patrolling the border, for StarClan's sake! And yet they felt the need to ambush us, without even justifying themselves. It's as if we've done something wrong.'

For a moment, Willowfeather didn't know what to say. Eaglefang had voiced her own exact fears. 'It's just ShadowClan being ShadowClan,' she murmured, trying to sound confident **,** although even she could detect the bitter uncertainty in her voice. 'They've always made a habit of trying to unsettle us. This is no different.'

'But in Greenleaf?' Eaglefang retorted. 'Not even _ShadowClan_ purposefully tries to stir up trouble in Greenleaf.'

She shrugged. 'Maybe they're just trying to make their mark,' she suggested. 'Ravenstar was only appointed a moon ago. It's natural for him to try and impose himself on the lake.'

'Well then how do you explain the hostility of the other Clans, as well?' Eaglefang challenged. 'A few sunrises ago, my apprentice, Aspenpaw, caught a rabbit that had wondered onto our territory. One of WindClan's patrol's saw him- and he said they nearly chased him back onto ThunderClan's land!'

Willowflight stared at him, completely lost for words. Eaglefang spoke with the kind of persuasive conviction that only leader's possessed, and she had no idea how to respond to his charisma. The medicine cat opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.

Eaglefang sniffed, before washing his chest with a few smooth strokes of his tongue. 'I thought so.'

Willowflight shook herself self-conciously. 'You know, maybe it would be good to speak to Skystar about what you think,' she said. 'She could bring it up at the next Gathering an-'

Suddenly, a brilliant white light flashed in front of Willowflight's vision. She gasped, screwing her eyes tightly shut. For a few moments, she was blinded, before the stage subsided and she was left only with a harsh glow burning around the edges of her vision. Willowflight looked around, but she couldn't see a thing. _Is this StarClan_? she thought.

The blurry light remained prominent for a few moments, before finally it began to fade away… or rather, transform. Something red edged into the scene taking place in front of her, along with a constant streak of black. The vision kept on changing and morphing, until it eventually settled. What Willowflight saw horrified her.

It was the ThunderClan camp clearing. Everything was there. The leader's den, the medicine cat den, the fresh kill pile, but one thing was terrifyingly different. The walls of the camp were drench in thick, scarlet blood. It dripped down onto the floor, seeping it's way across the clearing and out into the forest. Willowflight tried to back away, but she couldn't. Her limbs were paralysed with fear.

And then, the blood began to shift. Twisting and turning in and out, rising from the liquid, it started to take shape. Willowflight realised what was being created. Cats. One for every cat in her Clan. She recognised all of them. Beechfoot, Skystar and-

Even herself.

Suddenly, from the group of blood drenched warriors, outstepped one larger than the other. Willowflight didn't recognise it, and her heart swelled with fear, but she still couldn't move. She watched as the cat approached with the intentness of a hunter to it's prey, until finally, it stopped right in front of her face.

For a few moments, there was only silence. Then the cat's mouth opened, and it began to wail.

' _The past is drenched in blood, but the future is pale as light…'_

Willowflight barely had a moment to process the cat's ominous words before the vision began to fade. The blood seeped away into nothingness, and the surreality of the camp clearing disappeared with it. The she-cat felt like she was falling into the abyss, too dark and too terrible for a cat even to imagine. She closed her eyes, waiting for the dark to consume her.

'Willowflight?'

All she could feel was despair-

'Willowflight!?"

And a future as bleak and harsh as the coldest night of Leafbare-

'WILLOWFLIGHT!'

The she-cat's eyes jolted open. She was back in the medicine cat den. The usual smell of herbs wafted back into her nostrils. The vision had passed. She was safe.

'Willowflight?' Eaglefang's shocked voice echoed through the den. 'Are you alright? What happened?

The tom was standing over, his face filled with concern. Willowflight realised that she must have fainted. She was lying on the floor, facing the cold stone roof of the den.

The medicine cat coughed. 'I'm fine,' she rasped. Her breathing was shallow and erratic.

'Are you sure?' Eaglefang asked worriedly.

Willowflight didn't answer. Her mind was spinning from the prophecy. All she could see and hear was the cat in front of her, and its strange, enigmatic words. _The past is drenched in blood, but the future is pale as light._

Slowly, she began to get back to her paws. The she-cat winced, her muscles screaming in protest. The side of her head throbbed angrily. She must've hit her head when she fell down.

'Can I help you?' Eaglefang questioned, as she did so. 'Should I get help?'

'I'm fine!' Willowflight snapped, turning her ferociously on the tom. 'I just need some-' she paused. 'I just need some fresh air.'

And with that, the medicine cat turned, ignoring the stinging pain, and dashed out of the den. She heard Eaglefang's shocked voice calling out after her, but she ignored him, screwing her eyes tightly shut. A few cats looked up, surprised, as she ran through the camp and out into the forest, but no one protested. She was glad they didn't.

The forest passed in a blur as she ran. All of her senses were numbed by panic and confusion. Willowflight had never experienced a prophecy as dark and foreboding as that one. _What does it all mean?_ she thought wildly. _Why were all my Clanmates covered in blood?_

When she finally came to a halt, she no longer recognised the thick, dense undergrowth around her. She had stopped in the shadow of a large oak tree, that stood stood proud and tall over the other trees nearby. The medicine cat had never gone so far away from camp before. For a moment, she wondered whether she'd accidentally crossed the ShadowClan border, but she swiftly passed off the thought. She would've been able to smell the pine forest if she had.

Willowflight sighed, before sitting down on her haunches with her shoulders hunched over, shivering silently. She may not have understood the mysterious omen's full meaning, but she knew that all the blood and darkness could only signify one thing. Destruction, and the death of many. 'But who will die, and what will be destroyed?' Willowflight muttered under her breath.

Suddenly, a terrible thought entered her mind. _What if every cat I saw in the clearing will die?_

Willowflight's eyes widened with horror. That would've meant most of the cats of ThunderClan. Skystar, Beechfoot, the kits and queens...

At the thought, the medicine cat shook her head in denial. _No!_ she thought. _It can't be! The death of so many cats would mean the end of ThunderClan; StarClan wouldn't let that happen. Would they?_

Such awful thoughts made Willowflight's head hurt even more. She wouldn't believe it. In fact, she couldn't believe it. _There have always been four Clans beside the lake,_ she reasoned with herself desperately. _Why would StarClan want that to change now?_ The she-cat remembered what Eaglefang had confessed to her earlier. About the hostility of the other Clans. Could that be related to the prophecy?

Willowflight clenched her paws together, trying to convince herself. _No. StarClan can't be foretelling the end of ThunderClan. It has to be something else._

But if it wasn't that, then what was it?

Slowly, the she-cat got back up to her paws, trying to ignore the fear that coursed through her veins. She tried to shove the unwelcome thoughts away, but no matter how hard she tried, they remained at the back of her mind, bothering her. Willowflight glanced up at the sky, searching for any sign of her warrior ancestors. The burning sun said nothing in return.

After a moment's pause, she decided there was no point in staying out in the forest like she was. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she turned back in the direction she had come from, and headed back to camp.

* * *

 **Allegiances:**

 **ShadowClan:**

 **Leader:** Ravenstar,

Black tomcat with blue eyes.

 **Deputy:** Emberheart,

Bright ginger tom with green eyes.

 **Medicine Cat:** Pinefeather,

Gray tabby tom with dark yellow eyes.

 **Warriors:**

Nightwhisper,

Black tomcat with yellow eyes. Brother of Ravenstar.

Bonefur,

Large white tom with blue eyes.

Duskwing,

Russet coloured she-cat with dirty yellow eyes.

Badgertail,

Black and white tom with hazel eyes and a long tail.

Addertooth,

Mottled brown tom with green eyes.

Cedarheart,

Light grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Whitepool,

Attractive white tabby she-cat.

 **Apprentices:**

Wolfpaw,

Greyish white tom, apprentice of Addertooth.

Tanglepaw,

Dark ginger tom with a messy tangled pelt, apprentice of Duskwing.

 **Queens:**

Poppycloud,

Pretty calico she-cat. Mate of Badgertail.

Ivynose,

Very dark grey she-cat.

 **Elders:**

Mudeyes,

Muddy brown tom,

 **ShadowClan Slaves:**

Smoketalon,

Jet-black tomcat with bright amber eyes.

Aspenpaw,

Grey tomcat with green eyes.

 **RiverClan:**

 **Leader:** Streamstar,

Attractive tabby grey she-cat.

 **Deputy:** Shellstorm,

Huge grey tom with blue eyes.

 **Medicine Cat:** Minnowdusk,

Brown she-cat.

 **Warriors:**

Reedshade,

Brown and white tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Beetlenose,

Black tom with green eyes.

Dappleheart,

Gentle dappled she-cat.

Eelscratch,

Lithe grey tom,

Rowanleap,

Ginger tom.

Lilypelt,

Bulky brown she-cat with yellow eyes.

 **Apprentices:**

Troutpaw,

Very dark grey tom, apprentice of Beetlenose.

Spottypaw,

Spotted she-cat, apprentice of Eelscratch.

 **Queens:**

Robinsplash,

Tabby grey she-cat.

 **Elders:**

Oakfrost,

Old brown tom,

Fernstep,

White she-cat with green eyes,

 **RiverClan Slaves:**

Sageclaw,

Brown and white tabby tom with amber eyes,

Foxflame,

Dark ginger she-cat with with musty yellow eyes,

 **WindClan:**

 **Leader:** Gorsestar,

Shrewd brown tabby tom.

 **Deputy:** Sandpelt,

Yellow she-cat with green eyes,

 **Medicine Cat:** Ryesong,

Small, dark brown, almost black, she-cat.

 **Warriors:**

Harestoop,

Brown tom,

Slatefrost,

Greyish tomcat with amber eyes.

Cloudstreak,

White tabby she-cat.

Morningflight,

Distinctive olive coloured she-cat.

Thrushstrike,

Burly tabby tomcat.

Dawnheart,

Black and white she-cat with a stripe on her nose.

 **Apprentices:**

Owlpaw,

Brown tom,

Doepaw,

White she-cat with streaks of grey on her pelt.

 **Queens:**

Leafcall,

Brown and white she-cat.

Chivedash,

Long and slender she-cat.

 **WindClan Slaves:**

Eaglefang,

Tawny brown tabby tomcat with sharp amber eyes.

Palewhisper,

Pale white she-cat with blue eyes.

 **ThunderClan (Before Attack):**

 **Leader:** Skystar,

White she-cat with sky blue eyes, mother of Palewhisper.

 **Deputy:** Beechfoot,

Black tabby tom, brother of Smoketalon.

 **Medicine Cat:** Willowflight,

Light brown she-cat.

* * *

 **And there you have it! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of the prologue, and I'll post the first chapter as soon as possible. :D**


	2. Chapter 1: Sageclaw

**Author's Note: Hey everybody! Back again with chapter one of Slaves. :)**

 **First of all, I'd like to thank you all for all your wonderful reviews on the prologue and allegiances! You all seemed to really like the idea, so I got to work on the first chapter immediately. Here are my replies to your reviews:**

 **CinderPeltLover: Thank you! Glad to know you find it interesting. :D**

 **badguthrie: Really appreciate your review, and as you wish, here's the next chapter!**

 **PopCat: Thanks for your review! And yeah, I was really proud of the prologue.**

 **someone: Here's the next chapter!**

 **Flamewing: Ooooohhhh! Thank you so much for your awesome review! *blushes* Glad to know you're enjoying the story!**

 **And also, I'd just like to tell you how the narrative of the story is going to work. So as you all know, there are six slaves in the story. Foxflame and Sageclaw for RiverClan, Eaglefang and Palewhisper for WindClan and Smoketalon and Aspenpaw for ShadowClan. Now the three** ** _MAIN_** **characters are Sageclaw, Eaglefang and Smoketalon. The chapters will rotate around these three respectively, starting off with Sageclaw in this chapter, then Eaglefang in the next and Smoketalon in the third, although occasionally, I might give someone like Palewhisper or Foxflame a chapter. Hope that clears all that up.**

 **But apart from that, onto the chapter! Please RR and tell me what you think!**

* * *

 _ **Slaves:**_

 **Chapter One:**

 _The starry plain seemed to stretch on forever. It glistened brightly, shining up from the ground and illuminating everything in a majestic glow. The tomcat's eyes were filled with wonder as he padded across it. The ground was soft and springy to the touch, and there was a thin line of mist just above his paws. He looked from side to side. The plain continued straight on as far as the eye could see, reaching towards the horizon line and beyond in every direction. The tom was captivated by the land's beauty. At that moment, he would've been satisfied just to carry on walking forever, lost in it's mystifying aura._

 _But as he walked, the tom started to became aware of another presence nearby. He didn't know what it was, for his senses seemed to have been completely numbed. A shift in the wind perhaps? Maybe the swirling of the mist. Or maybe, it was simply his own imagination. But nevertheless, the tom's certainty that another cat was nearby began to grow as he padded on, until he was unable to ignore it any longer._

 _He spun around, looking back in the direction he had come from. But every part of the landscape looked the same as the next. He peered into the mist, searching for any sign or trace of another cat._

 _'Hello?' he called out uncertainly. A feeling of uneasiness had begun to form in his stomach. 'Is anybody there?'_

 _Only silence followed his call._

 _This time, the tomcat repeated his question. Louder, and with an edge of hostility in his voice. 'Hello?' he shouted, his claws beginning to unsheathe. 'Is anybody there?'_

 _'Look carefully, and you will find me.'_

 _The tomcat turned in shock as the voice reverberated across the plain. His eyes darted from side to side, searching for the source of the voice. His confusion set him on edge. 'Who are you?' he said. 'Where are you?'_

 _'Who am I?' the voice came again, clearer this time. It was soft, calm and soothing, as gentle as a brook on a Greenleaf day. 'I am many things.'_

 _The tomcat hesitated, his tail twitching anxiously. The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. He took a step forward and sniffed the air currents. Nothing._

 _'What do you mean?' the tom asked._

 _A small chuckle echoed from somewhere far away. 'So very much,' the voice replied. 'I am the night, and I am the day. I am life, and I am death. I am StarClan, and the Dark Forest, and the pain, and the sickness. I am the misery, and the hunger… but most of all, I am hope.'_

 _The voice's words touched something deep inside the tomcat. All of a sudden, his heart began to beat like the wings of a trapped bird. His eyes diluted to the size of moons. He felt like his whole body had been set alight, and was shining brighter than a hundred million stars._

 _'Tell me,' the voice murmured. 'What do you dream of more than anything else?'_

 _A slight shiver passed through the tomcat's body as he registered the question. His answer took him less than a few moments to think of._

 _'Freedom,' the tomcat answered. His voice was barely more than a whisper._

 _'Then come with me,' the voice replied. 'And you will find not only what you seek, but also your greatest redemption…'_

* * *

A tongue the roughest of textures awoke Sageclaw from his dream. It brushed against his whiskers, causing his emerald green eyes to snap wide open. He stared forward, surprised, at the dark ginger face inches away from his own. Musty yellow eyes met green; they were narrowed down to angry slits.

'Wake up **,'** the ginger she cat snapped. 'It's time.'

For a moment, all Sageclaw did was stare at her, and then unwelcome memories flooded back into his skull. He sniffed angrily, before shoving the she-cat away and sitting up in his nest.

'Why did you have to wake me up?' he muttered, sending a few strokes of his tongue down his chest to settle his ruffled brown and white fur. 'I was having a great dream.'

'Oh, well that _is_ unfortunate,' the she-cat retorted sarcastically. 'What did you think I was gonna do? Let you laze around while I did all the hunting? I don't think so, mousebrain.'

Sageclaw hissed quietly, but didn't say anything in return. The tom knew from experience that starting an argument with the fiery she-cat would get him nowhere, and besides, he had more important things to worry about.

He sighed, before getting to his paws and nodding towards the entrance of the den. 'Alright Foxflame,' he said. 'Let's go.'

The she-cat grunted, before turning her back on him and padding out of the den with her head held high. Sageclaw followed her out, the hair along his back prickling with annoyance. Foxflame had _always_ been a difficult cat to be around. Her fierce independence and pride in her own abilities ensured that she contradicted, or just simply disregarded, everything that Sageclaw had to say.

'Stupid she-cat,' he growled under his breath, as they padded out into the RiverClan camp.

The day was cold and harsh. A sharp Leaffall wind rushed through Sageclaw's thick fur, causing him to shiver involuntarily. The sky was a dull grey colour, and the dark clouds smothered the light of the sun. Leafbare was fast approaching, which, of course, meant even more work for him and Foxflame. It was dawn, but already, the RiverClan camp was bustling with cats. A group of two or three were about to leave camp for the dawn patrol. As they ducked under the bramble-enforced entrance, a few of them eyed Sageclaw dirtily, with a hint of a sneer on their faces. The tom's claws itched furiously, tempting him to react, but he forced himself to keep his expression neutral.

Foxflame's eyes narrowed angrily, however, and she dropped into a threatening crouch. 'What are _you_ looking at?' she snarled at the leaving patrol.

Sageclaw was about to shoot forward and prevent the confrontation from going any further, when a gravelly voice echoed from behind them. 'Morning, _slaves,_ ' it interrupted. 'You get a good a night's sleep?'

Sageclaw's eyes narrowed, and he turned stiffly around to see Eelscratch, who had taken the responsibility of guarding their den last night, standing behind them. The lithe grey tomcat was looking at them icily, hostility clear within his gaze.

Foxflame bristled, but before the she-cat could turn on the guard, Sageclaw silenced her with a flick of his tail. 'We slept fine,' he told him, shooting Foxflame a meaningful glance.

Eelscratch nodded, his face contorting into a smirk. 'Good,' he hissed, 'cause you've got a lot of work to do. Prey's scarce at the moment, and your already pathetic hunting skills are going to be stretched an awful lot, don't you think?'

Sageclaw returned the tom's gaze as calmly as he could. Eelscratch was purposefully trying to provoke them, but he refused to give the RiverClan tom the pleasure of a reaction.

Foxflame didn't seem to think the same as him, though. The look in her eyes spelt murder.

Eelscratch sniffed, before shouldering past Sageclaw and padding in the direction of the fresh kill pile. 'Come on,' he said, gesturing with his tail for them to follow him. 'Shellstorm's about to send out the first hunting patrol.'

Sageclaw padded after him, Foxflame close on his heels. The dark ginger she-cat was growling furiously. 'Why didn't you let me at him?' she spat venomously. 'I could have taken that foxheart any day.'

Sageclaw's tail twitched agitatedly. 'Why do you think?' he shot back. 'If you'd started a fight, it would just have given Shellstorm another excuse to treat us worse: as if we're not getting it in the neck already without your constant whining.'

The she-cat stared daggers at him, but didn't continue the argument. Sageclaw shook his head and looked away. With Foxflame, it often felt like he was talking to an obnoxious apprentice rather than a fully grown warrior.

The RiverClan camp was fairly open compared to some of the other Clans. It was surrounded by a collection of brooks that flowed into the lake downstream. There was only one entrance to the camp though, and it was surrounded by bramble thickets. Only the RiverClan cats knew how to get through the shrubs without getting caught on the thistles, and Sageclaw had learnt through bitter experience that it was better to be safe than sorry when you were leaving the camp.

The fresh kill pile was stored just beside the leader's den, but it was also where the deputy of the Clan, Shellstorm, tended to organise the patrols from. It consisted largely of fish caught by the warriors, but Sageclaw and Foxflame, who hadn't yet mastered the art of fishing, usually brought back water voles and other forest-like prey.

Many of the RiverClan warriors were already gathered, talking quietly under their breaths. There was an apprehensive tension in the air. All the warriors could sense the coming Leafbare in the bitter wind and the rapidly dropping prey levels. Eelscratch led him and Foxflame to one side, away from the main body of warriors. A few of them turned and glared at Sageclaw as he padded past, their fangs bared. The tom looked away, his head held high.

'Warriors,' a loud, brash voice echoed, 'silence.'

Instantly, the nervous chatter ceased. Standing beside the fresh kill pile was Shellstorm, his tail kinked low over his back. The tabby grey deputy of RiverClan was imposing to say the least- his enormous frame made even the larger cats in the clearing look small. Some deputies, although making their authority clear, listened carefully to what their warriors had to say, but _no one_ argued with Shellstorm. If he told you to do something, you did it, so needless to say, the tom had a reputation for harsh treatment.

Sageclaw's eyes met those of the deputy for a moment, and if looks could kill, Sageclaw would've died long ago.

'Right,' Shellstorm said, settling down on his haunches. 'I'm sure you're all aware how fast Leafbare is closing in. Obviously, this means prey is at a premium. Streamstar told me herself that she wants me to double the hunting patrols; I expectant at least three pieces of prey brought back to camp everyday from now on.' The deputy glanced at him and Foxflame, a cruel smile on his face. 'Although, our _guests_ over here must bring back five pieces of prey a day. And if you don't, the consequences will be…' he paused, unsheathing his hooked claws. 'Severe.'

Sageclaw felt a flicker of fear pass through his body, but he refused to show it. He looked sideways at Foxflame. Her claws were digging into the ground.

Shellstorm shook his head. 'Anyway,' he growled. 'I will send out two hunting patrols. Beetlenose, you may lead the first. Take Lilypelt and Rowanleap…'

As Shellstorm announced the rest of the patrols, Sageclaw turned to Foxflame. He glanced quickly at Eelscratch to make sure he wasn't looking. 'I can't believe this,' he hissed. 'Five pieces of prey a day? We'll never catch that much!'

Foxflame snorted. 'You might not,' she replied cooly. 'But _I_ will.'

Sageclaw flattened his ears disbelievingly. 'Oh yeah, and I assume you think hedgehogs can fly,' he retorted. 'We both had trouble catching three a day, let alone five. We can't even catch fish for StarClan's sake!'

'Well, we'll just have to learn then, won't we?' she huffed angrily.

'And how are we gonna to do that?' Sageclaw exclaimed. 'It's not as if any of the RiverClan cats are gonna teach us.'

'What are you two muttering about?' Eelscratch snapped from behind them.

Sageclaw opened his mouth to reply, but this time, the ginger she-cat beat him to it. 'Nothing of your concern,' she said icily.

The brown and white tom winced at Foxflame's aggressive tone. Subtly, he nudged the she-cat, warning her not to get to involved, but she didn't say anything in return. Sageclaw watched the RiverClan tom, fully expecting him to get physical.

So he was surprised when all Eelscratch did was laugh, albeit threateningly. He leaned in close to the ginger she-cat, and Sageclaw winced at his words. 'Everything of yours is my concern, slave,' he hissed.

Foxflame's eyes narrowed down to slits, and a long low growl began to emanate from her throat. Urgency washed through Sageclaw from head to paw, and he stepped forward to interfere-

'Hey, Eelscratch!'

A masculine voice came from behind them, breaking the tension. Sageclaw let out a long breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. It was Beetlenose, the tom who Shellstorm had selected to lead one of the patrols.

'Stop messing around,' he grunted to Eelscratch. 'You're on Dappleheart's patrol. She's taking you to the WindClan border with the she-cat slave.'

Sageclaw ears pricked in surprise. _Foxflame isn't coming on my patrol?_ Usually, him and the she-cat hunted together. He wondered why Shellstorm had felt the need to separate them.

Eelscratch glared at Foxflame one more time, before nodding for her to follow him. 'Of course,' he said smoothly, before padding towards his patrol. Foxflame followed him grudgingly. As the guard passed them, he whispered something in Beetlenose's ear. Sageclaw frowned as the black tom's eyes narrowed, and he looked up warily at Foxflame.

Then, Beetlenose turned towards him. 'You're coming with us,' he said slowly. 'Remember what Shellstorm said? You have to catch five pieces of prey, alright?'

Sageclaw didn't meet Beetlenose's gaze. _As if I have any choice,_ he thought bitterly.

He followed the patrol out of camp with a sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach. He didn't like the idea of Foxflame being on a patrol alone with the RiverClan cats, especially with Eelscratch. Something told him that she might try something stupid, and that would get him in trouble as well. Any excuse to punish them was valid for RiverClan, right?

As they padded through the territory, the wind began to get stronger. The branches on the trees began to shake, which would only make it harder for Sageclaw to catch the five pieces of prey that he was allocated. It seemed even the weather was against him. The tom was surrounded in the centre of the patrol, in case he tried to escape at any point. Beetlenose led up front, whereas Rowanleap, another tom, took up the rear. The only she-cat on the patrol, Lilypelt, padded beside Beetlenose, talking with him quietly.

Finally, the patrol stopped under the shadow of an old willow tree. A few fox lengths ahead of them was the ShadowClan border. Their rancid scent wafted into Sageclaw's nostrils, making him wrinkle his nose in disgust.

'Right,' Beetlenose said. 'Lilypelt and I will start hunting by the lakeshore. Rowanleap, you take the slave upstream. We'll meet back here at sunhigh. Agreed?'

They all nodded in agreement, before the group separated. Rowanleap made Sageclaw lead, in case he tried to tackle the RiverClan warrior from behind. They padded swiftly, without saying a word, until Rowanleap told him to stop by a stream. Sageclaw watched the fish swimming at pace through the stream, teasing him, before Rowanleap instructed him to hunt for as long as necessary, or rather, until he caught five pieces of prey.

Sageclaw looked at him curiously. 'Aren't you going to hunt?' he asked.

The ginger tom snorted. 'Why would I hunt when I have a slave to hunt for me?'

Sageclaw's eyes narrowed. He hated being called a slave- it was degrading and humiliating. _What happened to honour around this lake?_ Sageclaw thought angrily, as he began to hunt. _What happened to our pride in the warrior code? What happened to StarClan?_

He was a warrior, and so was Foxflame. They shouldn't be being treated like this… but what other choice did he have but to obey?

Sageclaw probed the air currents, searching for any prey in the area. He hadn't expected to find anything first time, but he couldn't help but feel disheartened when he detected nothing. Except for the fish, which he couldn't even hunt without embarrassing himself. Slowly, he began to scrounge the area, moving slowly up and down the banks of the brooks, before sniffing around the trunks of the trees. Prey seemed to have got even scarcer over night.

Finally, the scent of an animal entered his scent glands. Sageclaw's heart leapt with relief. It was a wren. The bird had just emerged from a large bed of reeds a few fox lengths away, and was pecking slowly at the grass. Sageclaw instinctively dropped into a crouch, and began to stalk forward, his eyes fixed firmly on the wren. The tom could sense Rowanleap watching him carefully from behind, it only added to the growing knot that begun to form in his stomach.

After a few moments, Sageclaw had manoeuvred himself into within striking distance of the bird. His claws itched with anticipation, and he wriggled his haunches until he felt ready to pounce. The wren was still foraging around, having not noticed a single thing. He prepared himself, before exploding upwards-

CRACK!

Sageclaw froze, just as he was about to leap, as the sound echoed. Instantly, the bird looked up, and it's keen eyes fell straight on the tom. Cursing to the heavens, he glanced down at his paws to see if he'd stepped on a twig, but confusion flowed through his body when he saw that he hadn't done anything of the sort. _Then what was the noise?_ He thought. Swiftly, he readied himself for another leap, but before he could pounce again, the wren had already flown away and was disappearing into the distance.

Sageclaw could hardly believe it. _How didn't I catch it?_ he thought, aghast. _It was practically in my paws!_

Suddenly, a low chuckle came from behind him. Sageclaw looked up and turned around, expecting to hear Rowanleap's mocking voice, but instead, all he got was a feeling of absolutely rage. The RiverClan tom was sat, laughing hysterically, with a snapped twig underneath his right paw.

Sageclaw unsheathed his claws and hissed at the tom. 'You did that!' he shouted. 'You made me lose my prey!

Quickly, the laughter stopped, and Rowanleap's eyes glazed over. 'Don't you dare blame me,' he growled. 'It's not my fault you couldn't hunt to save your life, ThunderClan scum.'

The brown and white tom's blood boiled at the mention of his home Clan. He clenched his paws together; he knew Rowanleap had only mentioned ThunderClan to tempt a reaction, but Sageclaw couldn't help it. _No one talks about my Clan like that!_ he yowled mentally.

Swiftly, Rowanleap got to his paws, a smirk on his face. The RiverClan tom braced himself for the attack that he was certain was coming. Sageclaw growled, and flexed his muscles, his temper flaring. Tension filled the air.

Rowanleap bared his fangs. 'Come on, then!' he goaded. 'Attack me!'

The ThunderClan tom was about to do just that when suddenly, an image of Foxflame entered his mind. He remembered her from earlier when she was facing up to Eelscratch, and he imagined himself attacking Rowanleap, letting his fury take over. The idea only made him more angry. _These cats don't deserve my respect!_ he snarled mentally. _They lost that right when they destroyed my Clan!_

But then, another voice echoed within his head. The voice of logic.

He was reminded of the consequence of his actions, and what attacking Rowanleap would mean for him. If he let his temper rule himself, then he would injure the RiverClan warrior. Maybe even kill him! And then what would happen when RiverClan discovered his body?

Sageclaw looked deep into Rowanleap's eyes, and then he knew. That was exactly what Rowanleap wanted. If he attacked, the tom wouldn't defend himself. He would purposefully injure himself, because afterwards, Sageclaw would suffer more than he would.

 _No,_ the tom told himself. _I can't give him the satisfaction. If he returns to camp injured, it would be the end of me._ The thought made Sageclaw regain his self control. He shook himself and sheathed his claws, before stepping back, his face fixed firmly on the ground. Rowanleap's eyes widened with surprise as he did so. Sageclaw blinked, the smirk now upon his face.

Rowanleap sat back down again, an annoyed look on his face. 'Well,' he muttered. 'Carry on hunting, then.'

* * *

When Sageclaw returned to camp, it was well past sunhigh. His fur was ruffled and his eyes were shadowed and grumpy. The patrol flanking him carried two water voles, a squirrel, a swift and, despite his earlier "mistake", a wren, all caught by him. The camp was very quiet. Many of the cats were already heading towards their dens, but some remained, talking in hushed voices with their friends. The patrol disbanded after Beetlenose reported the events of the patrol to Shellstorm: Sageclaw headed straight over to his and Foxflame's den. A guard hadn't been positioned at the entrance yet, although he was certain the deputy wouldn't forget.

Foxflame was already inside, grooming herself. She looked as equally tired as he was. The she-cat didn't acknowledge him as he settled down beside her in his nest. The carcass of a fish lay to one side, and Sageclaw's minimal reward for his labour was a trout. Foxflame's musty yellow eyes glowed brightly in the dim light, a sharp contrast to Sageclaw's own bright green.

'Hey,' he said hesitantly.

She didn't look up.

Sighing in frustration, Sageclaw turned his head. It appeared that Foxflame was in a strop with him for some reason. Sageclaw reached over and dragged the trout closer to him. It didn't look very appetising, but he knew better than to refuse prey. Quickly, he wolfed down the scaly fish; it tasted wet and soggy in his mouth, but he ateall the same. He knew he'd need his strength for tomorrow.

The tom stopped before he could make the last bite, and considered offering it to Foxflame. The bones of her fish were significantly smaller than his own, but for some reason, Sageclaw had a strange feeling that the dark ginger she-cat wouldn't appreciate his kindness.

'Did anything happen on your patrol?' he asked.

Foxflame was silent for a moment, for finally raising her head. 'Not much,' she grunted. 'I caught the prey that I had to, and that was it.'

For some reason, Sageclaw suspected she wasn't quite telling him the whole truth, but either way, he let it pass. 'Did it take you very long?'

She shrugged. 'A couple of hours.' Foxflame's ears pricked up slyly. 'It took you longer, though.'

Sageclaw rolled his eyes, and considered continuing the conversation, but in the end he decided against. Foxflame would just find another excuse to start an argument with him.

Suddenly, a feeling of exhaustion washed over him after his long day hunting, and he yawned dramatically. Some of the RiverClan cats from earlier had the right idea in going to their dens. Slowly, he curled into a ball and closed his eyes **,** before drifting into a long, dreamless sleep.

* * *

 **And there you have it guys! The end of chapter one! Hope you enjoyed, and please leave a review to tell me what you think. XD**


	3. Chapter 2: Eaglefang

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Back again with Chapter Two of Slaves. :D**

 **First of all, I'd just to apologise for the delay in posting the chapter. I've been loaded with homework recently, and didn't have much time to write in the course of the week, but to make up for it I came up with an extra long chapter. 5,000 words plus! :) Here are the replies to your reviews:**

 **pokmon197: Thanks very much!**

 **Flamewing: I didn't actually specify how long in the future the story is set when I started writing it, but I guess ten leader's after Bramblestar is as good as anything! Really appreciate your review!**

 **Foxtail of StormClan: Thanks for following! And yeah, I know a lot of people use " instead of ', but in England we get taught to use ' as a speech mark. Hope that clears that up. :)**

 **PopCat: Haha! Yeah, something did happen on the patrol, as you find out in this chapter!**

 **WildChild13: Here's the next chapter, and I'm hoping that this story will last about 45 chapters, although that's just a vague estimate. I've planned out all the major plot points already though, so it's 100,000 words or bust!**

 **So in this chapter, you get introduced to the WindClan slaves. It's from the POV of Eaglefang, and the other slave is Palewhisper, both of which I actually wrote about in the prologue. This chapter will be slightly more downbeat, I guess, than the last one, and a bit darker. But I'm really proud of it, and I really hope you enjoy it!**

 **Please RR!**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Two:**

The moor was barren and chilly, even within the comforts of the camp. The wind slashed across Eaglefang's face, and he blinked rapidly, his tail whisking from side to side. _How does WindClan bare this?_ he thought irritably. _At least in the forest, you had some sort've of shelter._

Eaglefang was standing just outside the slave's den. The faint sun was only just breaking over the horizon, and the WindClan camp was eerily quiet. No one apart from him was awake; the tom knew he should probably get some more rest before the long day ahead of him, but strangely, he didn't feel tired. In fact, he hadn't really felt tired since…

Eaglefang shook his ruffled brown fur, his keen yellow eyes glimmering in the dimness of the morning. He looked down, and noticed just how untidy his pelt was. 'I should probably clean myself up,' he murmured.

Slowly, he began to groom himself, with long, calming strokes of his tongue. The tom worked his way down his pelt, untangling the knots in his chest fur and smoothing out the wild tufts underneath his legs. After he'd finished, he reached out onto his front paws, stretching the firm muscles displayed across his thickset body. All the while, the silence remained like a spell on the WindClan camp. It seemed to Eaglefang like he was the only cat alive.

 _If only,_ the tom thought wistfully.

As the sun rose up, Eaglefang's mind began to wonder away from the confines of the camp. He thought about the cats who he'd lost, as he always did. They were so clear to him, and so close. He remembered them like they were standing right beside him- and yet, they were so far away. The tom glanced up at the sky. He could still see the moon and the stars shining brightly above him. _Are you still watching me?_ he thought. _Are you still up there?_

A sudden burst of furious wind awoke Eaglefang from his day dream. 'Why so melancholy, huh?' he growled under his breath. 'You're not helping anyone by sitting around and staring at the sky, are you?'

For a moment, he half wished someone would reassure him that his loved ones were resting in StarClan, but even if they had, Eaglefang wouldn't have believed them. To be honest, Eaglefang wasn't sure he believed anything about StarClan anymore.

Steadily, the tom got to his paws and turned around, his expression grave. He wished he could forget what he'd been thinking about, but now that the thought had passed through his head, he probably wouldn't forget it for the rest of the day. _Another day of misery then,_ he thought, his pelt itching with frustration.

Eaglefang's eyes rested on the den that he'd emerged from before. He hadn't got much sleep that night, although that was partly due to the other cat, who hadn't yet woken up.

'I should probably go and check up on her,' he muttered, before padding back into the slave's den.

It was dusty and pitch black in the den. The cramped space barely provided for enough room for an apprentice, let alone two fully grown warriors. But two fully grown warriors was exactly what the den had accommodated for the past two moons. Eaglefang had to duck down before he could fit the full extent of his frame inside. Two, small nests lay next to each other at the back of the den. The intense scent of cat filled the air, making Eaglefang sniff. He padded forward until his paws rested on the feathers he'd collected a few sunrises, and then he sat down in his nest, his eyes fixated on the sleeping form of the cat beside him. She was twitching and jerking at random intervals in her sleep. The tom sighed, his heart swelling with pity for the she-cat. She was having another nightmare. He could hear whispering in her sleep, echoing the names of cats they once knew.

Hesitantly, the tom reached forward with his front paw and rested it on the she-cat's shoulder. She didn't stir immediately, so instead, he began to shake her a little, his heart beating nervously.

The effect was immediate. The she-cat jumped up in her nest, her sky blue eyes wide with panic. 'Skystar!' she yowled.

The sudden motion took Eaglefang by surprise. He leapt backwards, staring at her in shock. The she-cat's pelt was standing on end, terror evident on her face. For a moment, neither cat said a word. He was too surprised to react.

Finally, the tom managed to get a grip of himself. He swallowed nervously. 'Are you- are you alright?' he stammered.

The she-cat said nothing. Her eyes were fixed on something far away in the distance.

Eaglefang shifted himself, before risking a cautious step closer. He called out as softly as he could. 'Are you alright?'

Finally, the she-cat turned her head, and her eyes met his own. Her jaw was trembling as she spoke. 'Eaglefang?' she stuttered.

Relief washed over the tom, and he let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. 'Yes, Palewhisper,' he said, taking the final steps closer to her. 'It's me.'

Recognition flooded back into the she-cat's eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, before apparently deciding against it. She looked down at the ground, her eyes watering up in a mixture of shame and fear. It wasn't long before the tears were streaming down her face like a waterfall. Eaglefang tried to comfort her as she sobbed, but the awkwardness he felt was obvious in the way he held himself. She leaned against him, crying onto his shoulder. He held her as soothingly as he could, before lowering his head down to her level.

'Palewhisper,' he whispered quietly, before hesitating a moment. 'Palewhisper, do you need anything? Do you want to talk about it?'

She sniffed, and raised her head off his shoulder, her eyes swimming with tears. 'Don't bother,' she replied sadly. 'It was just another stupid nightmare.'

Palewhisper was the only other ThunderClan cat with him in the camp. After the attack, they'd been taken captive and imprisoned as slaves in WindClan. There had been other survivors, and Eaglefang remembered them vividly. Sageclaw and Foxflame, who had been sent to RiverClan, and Smoketalon and Aspenpaw, who had been sent to ShadowClan. Aspenpaw had been his apprentice before the attack; Eaglefang hoped Smoketalon was looking after him well.

Ever since they'd arrived in the camp, Palewhisper had been having vivid nightmares, almost every night. Sometimes she told him about them, others she didn't. Eaglefang could understand why she was struggling to recover from their Clan's destruction, even two moons after it had happened. Skystar, the once leader of ThunderClan, had been her mother, and Willowflight, the once medicine cat, had been her best friend.

Eaglefang muzzled her cheek softly. The tom had a somewhat protective streak with Palewhisper. He would never allow a cat to suffer in such a way without his help. 'Was it the same one you told me about yesterday?' he asked.

She shook her head. 'No,' she sniffled. 'It was different this time, and it was so vivid! I could see all of them right in front of me. They were…' She trailed off, not meeting Eaglefang's amber gaze.

'You can tell me,' Eaglefang reassured her. 'I swear I won't tell anyone.'

She looked up, her eyes wet with horror. 'They were all covered in blood.'

Then the she-cat buried herself into Eaglefang's chest, whimpering softly. The tom stroked the she-cat's pale white fur as softly as he could, although his body was rigid. Her heart was beating furiously, so fast he thought it might punch a hole through him. They stayed like that for awhile, with Palewhisper's quiet sobbing the only sound Eaglefang could hear.

Finally, he pulled away. Sunlight was beginning to seep into the shadowy interior of the slave's den; the sun had risen quickly since he'd woken Palewhisper up. The she-cat still looked upset, but nevertheless in a considerably better state than she'd been in before.

'I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear right now,' Eaglefang began, feeling guilty himself for bringing the subject up, 'but it's almost light out there. The WindClan cats will be waking up.'

Palewhisper didn't say anything.

The ThunderClan tom shifted uncomfortably. 'Look,' he continued. 'I don't like thisanymore than you do, but we have work to do-'

'I know,' Palewhisper murmured. She licked her flank, almost self-consciously. 'You're right,' she said with a sigh. 'We should get going.'

The she-cat stood up, and began to pad towards the entrance, her eyes down. Eaglefang's heart twisted when he saw the expression on her face.

'Wait!' thetom said suddenly, surprising himself. He rushed forward, standing in between the she-cat and the exit. 'You can stay here,' he offered. 'I'll go and do the first job, whatever it is. Just remember not to provoke them if they come looking for you.'

Palewhisper blinked, looking away from the tom's brilliant amber gaze. Eaglefang thought he saw a hint of a blush on her cheeks. 'Really?' she said.

Eaglefang nodded. 'Really.'

He then turned around and ducked out of the den, leaving Palewhisper still standing inside. He knew it was the correct thing to do. The she-cat was in no fit position to work.

Eaglefang was right when he said that the WindClan cats would be waking up, as well. The moor cats were early risers, even more so than his birth Clan. Not every one was awake yet, but a few of the warriors were loitering around the fresh-kill pile, enjoying their first meal of the day. The tom's eyes narrowed at the sight. It would be much later until he and Palewhisper got their first sniff of prey.

He settled down his on haunches, watching over the camp. The slave's den was slightly elevated over the rest of the dens, giving him a good view of the entrance. If anyone unfamiliar entered the camp, he would be the first one to know about it, except for the guards of course.

Some of the cats glanced his way as he watched. As soon as the tom returned the look though, they looked away, their head's held high. Their expression reminded Eaglefang of a cat who'd found carrion in their fresh kill. He had to stifle a long, low growl.

A few minutes later, and the whole of the camp seemed to have woken up. All of the warriors were out of their nests, and even some of the queens and apprentices were beginning to nose their way out into the clearing. _The first patrols will be leaving soon,_ the tom thought warily. _They'll probably want me to come with them hunting._

As soon as this crossed his mind, the lichen that covered the entrance to the leader's den parted, and outstepped Gorsestar, leader of WindClan. He padded forward until he was standing beside the fresh-kill pile, greeting his warriors. Unlike many other leaders, Gorsestar was always present whenever the deputy organised the patrols. In fact, the tom often lead one himself.

His eyes were warm and bright as he talked to his warriors, although his mood became brusque when Sandpelt, his deputy, emerged from the crowd to discuss the patrols. They shared a few quiet words, before Gorsestar stepped back, allowing the deputy to address the warriors.

'WindClan!' the she-cat announced. There was a hint of pride in her voice as she spoke. 'I know you have gathered to hear the patrols, but first of all, Gorsestar has a special announcement.' She turned her head towards the leader. 'Gorsestar?'

The leader nodded. 'Thank you, Sandpelt,' he said politely, before stepping forward to stand beside the deputy. His voice was deep and commanding. 'Now, I sure you're all very aware of the fact that a few sunrises ago, I finally came to an agreement with Ravenstar about the distribution of what was once ThunderClan's territory.'

As soon as the words passed through Gorsestar's lips, Eaglefang felt his claws beginning to unsheathe. White hot fury passed over him like a wave. _They have no right to share out that land!_ he yowled in his head.

'Ravenstar was demanding an excessively large amount of the territory,' Gorsestar continued. 'Half of it, in fact, which of course, neither we _or_ RiverClan agreed with. Just because they formulated the plan to attack ThunderClan does not mean they should take full credit.'

His words were followed by a number of supportive growls.

'How dare they?'

'Selfish fox-hearts!'

'We lost warriors fighting that battle!'

Their voices were like poison in Eaglefang's ears. _You lost warriors fighting that battle?_ he thought, enraged. _You stripped us of everything that made us ThunderClan! Our dignity, our pride. You even slaughtered out kits!_

Gorsestar raised a paw, demanding the attention of his warriors. 'ShadowClan's ridiculous demands were not tolerated,' he hissed icily. 'It took the combined efforts of me and Streamstar to convince them, but finally, we succeeded. WindClan now owns all of the land from our camp to the beginning of what was once ThunderClan's. ShadowClan owns the strip of land from the Sky Oak to their border. RiverClan's new territory, however, is a different matter. Because they live on completely the other side of the lake, we have agreed to not only hunt for ourselves, but also to catch prey for RiverClan.'

A few of the WindClan warriors glanced at each other. Eaglefang heard one of them whisper, 'It will be an awful lot of work to catch prey for ourselves _and_ RiverClan, especially now that it's nearly Leafbare.'

But Gorsestar paid no attention to their grumbles. 'We will send out two patrols into our new territory each day. One will bring back prey for ourselves, and the other will take whatever they catch and deliver it to RiverClan. A patrol will be waiting on the RiverClan border at sunhigh to collect the fresh-kill that our patrol catches.' He waited to see if any cat protested this, but none of them did. He nodded approvingly. 'Good. Sandpelt will now organise the patrols.'

Eaglefang watched, outraged, as the deputy called the two patrols together. He had known for awhile that ThunderClan's territory would be shared between the three Clans, but it still made him angry. _What will happen if I have to patrol it?_ he thought. _What will happen if Palewhisper has to patrol it?_

Eaglefang didn't want to think about it.

The tom wondered whether one of the patrol leaders would order him to come on their patrol, but none of them did. Instead, he watched them leave the camp and head back in the direction of the ThunderClan border, or what used to be the ThunderClan border, anyway. He glanced over his shoulder, towards the slave's den. Palewhisper hadn't yet come out after him. Eaglefang would prefer it to stay that way.

None of the WindClan cats approached him for awhile. The tawny brown tom sat there tensely, waiting for his first job of the morning. His new "masters" (as they often called themselves when they were talking to him) didn't usually take him out hunting. They didn't trust him enough, although he'd heard that over in RiverClan Sageclaw and Foxflame had to catch a certain amount of prey each day, or else.

The last cat to wake up in the camp, in fact, was the medicine cat, Ryesong. She padded out into the clearing late, and although she still looked tired, her eyes were bright and lively. The she-cat's pelt was very dark brown, almost black, and she had a small frame and two shrewd green eyes. She stopped to talk to a warrior Eaglefang recognised from a patrol he'd been on a moon ago. Her name was Morningflight. The medicine cat's eyes glanced in Eaglefang's direction a number of times, and even from the other side of camp, the tom could see the uneasiness in Morningflight's expression. After a few moments conversation, Ryesong said goodbye to the she-cat, and started to pad towards Eaglefang.

Instantly, he sat up, alert and vigilant. He hadn't really talked to the medicine cat before, although on the few occasions where he had, he'd felt reserved about her. She was very talkative, and relatively friendly compared to some of her WindClan counterparts. She didn't have an apprentice, so she often called on her Clanmates to come and search for herbs with her.

Although Ryesong approached him confidently, Eaglefang instantly latched onto the nervousness in her eyes. She wasn't intimidated by him, after all, he was only a slave, but she struck him as the kind of cat who would be nervous whenever she met someone new. However, Eaglefang could see something else in her eyes as well. A kind of curiosity, perhaps?

The she-cat stopped just before she reached him, looking uncomfortable. 'Hey,' she said slowly. 'Um, Eaglefang, wasn't it?'

The tom nodded. His expression was steely and unfriendly.

She coughed. 'Well, Eaglefang,' she said, looking away, 'I have to go out and collect some catmint. That's a herb, in case you didn't know.'

Eaglefang's tail twitched irritably. _Does she think I'm a complete mousebrain?_

'And, uh, it grows near the RiverClan border.' She hesitated. 'Most of the warriors are out on patrol already, so could you come with me in case of, well, you know…' She trailed off, awkwardness clear in her gaze.

Eaglefang felt like snorting. A _s if it's a request._ But he didn't voice his thought. Instead, he simply nodded and got to his paws. 'Alright.'

The medicine cat nodded, and before turning and heading over towards the entrance of the camp. Eaglefang followed her from behind. He bowed his head as respectfully as he could muster towards the WindClan cats still in the camp, but they simply sneered at him, or just didn't look.

Ryesong stopped just before the entrance. There was one guard positioned by the entrance, a greyish tabby tom called Slatefrost. He nodded politely towards the medicine cat, but his eyes narrowed when he saw Eaglefang behind her.

'Hey,' Ryesong said cheerily. 'Nice morning, huh?'

The warrior grunted. 'You going out to collect herbs?' he asked.

'Yes, as a matter of fact.'

'Surely that's a one cat job?' he said, referencing towards Eaglefang's presence beside her. The tom felt like hissing at him. _If you've got something to say, why don't you just say it?_ he thought.

'I need someone with me in case I get herbs I need grow by the RiverClan border, you see,' Ryesong explained shortly. 'Could you let us pass?'

Slatefrost didn't budge. Clearly, he was unsatisfied with Ryesong's explanation. 'I'm sure a lot of us would feel more comfortable if a WindClan cat was the one who went with you,' he replied bluntly.

Eaglefang half expected Ryesong to turn around and send him back to the slave's den, but to his surprise, the she-cat didn't budge. 'Oh please! I'm not in any danger,' she retorted stubbornly. 'It's not as if this cat's going to kill me.'

Ryesong's eyes flashed with annoyance, but it passed quicker than it had come. 'I'm sorry, but can you see a warrior free in the camp at the moment?' she retorted. 'Most of the warriors are out on patrol, unless _you'd_ willingly abandon your position to supervise me.'

Eaglefang felt like smirking. Ryesong was very persuasive, and he wasn't surprised when Slateforst sighed, before stepping aside to let Ryesong through. 'Alright,' he said eventually. 'Go on.'

The she-cat muttered her thanks as she ducked underneath the entrance, but as Eaglefang followed her, Slatefrost leaned in close and whispered into his ear. 'She'd better come back okay,' he hissed. 'Or else it's on your head.'

The hills of WindClan's territory were steep and bare. If it had been Greenleaf, they would've been covered in lush, green grass, but now the ground was a dead, brown colour. In a moon or so, it would be covered in a thick blanket of snow. Eaglefang imagined the forest in Leaf-bare. Soft, glistening snow flakes falling from the branches of the trees, falling asleep warm and cosy in the shelter of the warrior's den. He sighed, reminiscing the time he spent in ThunderClan. _Those were the days,_ he thought.

As they walked, the tom started to become ever more aware of the an awkward silence enveloping between him and Ryesong. Eaglefang would've preferred it to stay that way, but the medicine cat seemed uncomfortable with it.

'So,' she said uncertainly. 'How are you fitting into WindClan?'

Eaglefang flattened his ears disbelievingly at her. _Did she seriously just ask me that?_

Ryesong seemed to realise the stupidity of her question as well, because she instantly back-tracked. 'I'm sorry,' she apologised, sounding embarrassed. 'It's just, well, you're new here and I guess I just thought-'

'It's alright,' Eaglefang muttered, although it definitely wasn't. 'Let's just keep moving.'

Ryesong opened her mouth to say something, before evidently deciding against it. The two cats remained silent as they walked for the rest of the journey. It was only before Eaglefang could practically taste the water of the lake in his mouth before he heard Ryesong's voice again.

'Here we are,' she said, before sitting down with her tail resting neatly on her paws.

Eaglefang followed the she-cat's gaze to see two shrubs of herbs growing beside the lakeshore. The RiverClan border lay to one side of them, and beyond that, a large clump of reeds. He breathed in the scents of the area, and closed his eyes when the catmint's sweet aroma wafted into his scent glads. Ryesong had picked up the smell as well, but didn't seem as delighted by the herb as he was. _She's probably used to it by now,_ Eaglefang realised.

She padded forward, with the tom at her side, until they reached the herb shrubs. 'Right,' Ryesong said. 'You take the petals from that side, and I'll take them from here.'

Eaglefang nodded. 'How much do you want?' he asked.

'As much as you can get,' the medicine cat replied. 'We'll need the supplies for when Leafbare comes.'

The tomcat grunted, before leaning down to pick up the petals. The catmint's smell was intoxicating. Eaglefang's mouth began to water, but he resisted the temptation to take a huge bite out of the herbs, and instead concentrated on collecting as much as possible.

The silence between them continued for awhile longer. Ryesong picked the herbs daintily, making sure not to damage the plant will doing so. The tom tried to imitate her, but faint touches had never exactly been his strong point.

It was only after Eaglefang had picked almost all the petals on the plant that Ryesong spoke again. 'Look, Eaglefang,' she said quietly. 'I've been meaning to say this for awhile, ever since the attack, actually.'

Instantly, the tom froze, the catmint still in his mouth. The medicine cat's eyes were fixed on him, filled with an emotion he couldn't read. Slowly, the tom returned to his work, refusing to meet her gaze.

'I know you probably don't want to hear this, but I…' she paused for a moment, before carrying on. 'I really didn't want Gorsestar to attack ThunderClan. I tried to convince him not to, but Ravenstar was so persuasive.'

With every word the medicine cat said, the anger within Eaglefang was beginning to rise. But still, he didn't say a word, although his lips were trembling.

'When they came back, after the attack, I didn't know what to think,' she said, with a hint of desperation in her voice. 'I had no idea what to say to Gorsestar. He looked so victorious, but I just felt ashamed.'

Eaglefang felt his claws start to unsheathe.

'I guess what I'm trying to say,' she continued, 'is that I've lost cats too. I'm not trying to say I understand what you've been through-'

'Shut up!' Eaglefang snapped, turning on the she-cat, his eyes ablaze. He couldn't hold back his anger. Everything he'd kept bottled up over the past two moons had suddenly exploded. 'You have no _idea_ what me and Palwhisper have been through!'

Ryesong stepped back, shocked. Clearly she hadn't expected Eaglefang to react in the way he had. 'I'm sorry!' she cried. 'I just wanted to say sorry!'

'I don't want your apology,' he growled, bristling. 'It went beyond apology when you _murdered_ my Clan! How would you have felt if someone walked into your camp and massacred your kits? How would you feel if three Clans ambushed you and killed your leader, right in front of your eyes?'

The medicine cat didn't say anything. Her eyes full with shame, but Eaglefang didn't take any notice.

'You know what the worse thing is?' he snarled bitterly. 'Apart from the fact that everyone I loved died, and that StarClan abandoned me. It's that _I_ was the one who survived. I have to remember my Clan's destruction, everyday, and live with the fact that there's nothing I could've done to stop it.

The hair along Ryesong's back was standing on end. She stared at him, horrified, but Eaglefang didn't feel any pity. All he could see was red-mist. The tom might've have struck the medicine cat had it not been for the cry.

It cracked loudly through the air and echoed into Eaglefang's ear drums. He spun around, surprised, to see a group of cats emerging from the other side of the border. It was a RiverClan hunting patrol. Four, strongly muscled warriors padded forward, carrying an array of fresh-kill. Behind them trailed a dark ginger she-cat who looked vaguely familiar, but Eaglefang couldn't quite place where he'd seen her before.

Working on instinct, the tom spun around and hissed at Ryesong, 'Quick. Hind behind the catmint.'

The she-cat didn't have to be asked twice. She leapt forward with all the haste of a startled rabbit. Eaglefang ducked down low to the ground, and peered over the shrub, eyeing the patrol warily.

'I hate this,' one of the RiverClan warriors was muttering. 'We've been out here for hours. Why don't we all just hunt and get it done quicker?'

The dark ginger she-cat muttered something which Eaglefang couldn't hear back, which earned a hiss from one of the RiverClan warriors. 'Because,' the same tom replied, 'we've got someone to do it for us. Why waste the energy?'

Eaglefang's eyes narrowed. He'd definitely seen the she-cat before. It was something in the sarcastic expression on her face, and the venom in her musty amber eyes.

Suddenly, he recognised her. _Of course!_ he thought excitedly. _Foxflame!_

Quickly, he glanced sideways at Ryesong. 'Don't say a word,' he whispered. 'Or they'll see us.'

Ryesong looked at him strangely. 'Why are you protecting me?' she said mystified.

Eaglefang held her gaze evenly. 'That's why you wanted me to come with you, isn't it?' he replied. 'To protect you?'

The she-cat didn't say anything in return.

'Right,' one of the RiverClan toms said. He shoved Foxflame forward, earning a few shorts laughs from his fellow warriors. 'Get hunting, little she-cat.'

Eaglefang clenched his paws together, expecting Foxflame to react (he'd learnt from experience not to get under her fur), but all she did was eye the tom dangerously, before dropping her nose to the ground and getting to work.

The ThunderClan tom watched from behind the catmint, not saying a word, as Foxflame hunted. Eaglefang had to say, he was mildly impressed. _She's adapted well to RiverClan hunting,_ he thought. _Much better than I have to WindClan._

But despite her stealthy crouches and efficient nose, the she-cat was unable to catch any prey, mostly because the RiverClan toms were chanting jibes at her the whole time. After a few minutes, Foxflame gave up, and so to did the rest of the patrol. Eaglefang was relieved when they started to pad away, deeper into RiverClan territory.

But just before they left, Eaglefang caught part of two of the tom's conversation. 'She's pretty feisty, isn't she?' one of them was saying. ' _And_ sexy. I wouldn't mind spending a day with her.'

Eaglefang recoiled, disgusted. _That foxheart!_ he thought, but either Foxflame didn't hear them, or she did a fantastic job of pretending she didn't. The two toms disappeared into the undergrowth, with the she-cat following behind them.

But just before she did, she stopped and turned around. Her amber eyes skirted the land around them, before finally coming to rest upon the catmint shrub where Eaglefang was hiding. For a moment, he thought he saw her eyes flash, and he stiffened. _Did she see me?_

There was a moment of tense silence, where Eaglefang wasn't sure if he should call out to her or not, but eventually, the she-cat shook her head and padded away after the patrol.

The tom let out a sigh of relief, before signalling to Ryesong that everything was clear. The two cats stood up. Eaglefang brushed some of the dirt from his pelt, before glancing at the medicine cat. She seemed reluctant to speak, but the tom still didn't regret what he'd said earlier. Sniffing, he bent down and picked up the catmint that was lying on the ground.

'Have we got enough for you?' he rasped, facing away from her.

Eaglefang heard a noncommittal grunt from the she-cat, but nothing else. He nodded curtly, before turning and padding back in the direction of the WindClan camp. Not a word was said between the two on the way back.

The sun's light was struggling to break a thick layer of cloud when they returned, and many of the WindClan cats were still out on patrol. Slateforst gave Eaglefang a suspicious stare as he padded past him, but Ryesong had returned safely. There was nothing for the guard to complain about.

The tom muttered a goodbye to the medicine cat, and was about to head back in the direction of the slave's den, when suddenly, he heard Ryesong's voice from behind him. 'Eaglefang?'

He looked over his shoulder at the she-cat. She was staring at the ground. 'Thank you for protecting me back there.'

Eaglefang's eyes diluted a little. He hadn't expected her to thank him, but the memory of what she'd said beforehand was still fresh in his mind. He passed off her gratitude with a flick of his tail, before heading back over to his den.

When he reached it, he sniffed the air currents to see if Palewhisper had left since he'd been gone. To his relief, he could still smell her scent lingering amongst the dusty smells of the den. He ducked inside to see the she-cat curled up in a ball in her nest. As soon as he entered, she looked up, her eyes bright.

'Hi Eaglefang,' she greeted him warmly.

Eaglefang smiled for what felt like the first time in moons. 'Hey,' he replied, before settling down in his nest beside her. 'Did you go back to sleep?'

The she-cat nodded. 'I was still kinda tired after you woke up me,' she said, sounding a little shy. 'No one came to get me for a patrol, so I thought I'd have a rest.'

Eaglefang nodded, vaguely surprised. He hadn't expected the she-cat to be in such a good mood after he left her early that morning. In fact, he hadn't seen her that lively in moons.

The thought of that cheered him up considerably, as well.

* * *

 **So that was Chapter Two, and I've already broken 10,000 words! IKR? Please review, and I'll post the next chapter asap.**


	4. Chapter 3: Smoketalon

**Author's Note: Hellloooooo again guys! Back again with Chapter Three of Slaves.**

 **First of all, I want to apologise for how freakin long it took me to post the next chapter. I started writing this story at a really inconvenient time, since I'm preparing for some pretty big exams at Christmas, and my teachers are piling on the homework. Because of this, I literally just don't have the time to write 3,000 to 5,000 word chapters in a single week, which is why I'm not even going to try and keep an uploading schedule with this story. However, I am about to take an oath:**

 ** _I solemnly swear to complete this story, no matter how long it takes me to do it, or how difficult a time I am going through._**

 **So yeah. I promised you guys forty five chapters, and that's exactly what you're gonna get! XD**

 **I'm really liking how this story is going so far. All of you seem to be really enjoying it, so I'm more than happy to get chapters out! Thanks a lot for your reviews. Here are my replies:**

 **badguthrie: Thanks for reviewing again! Glad to know you're liking the story.**

 **Foxtail of StormClan: That's really good advice! I'll try not to do that again in future, thanks. :D**

 **Blackstar195: Thanks for reviewing, and yeah, that is a pretty sick idea. I'll have to take that into consideration for later chapters.**

 **Mapleflight: Yep, this next chapter is from the POV of the ShadowClan prisoners, and I really appreciate you reviewing! :)**

 **PopCat: I guess you'll have to wait and find out about Foxflame! And also, yeah, it is pretty sweet.**

 **WildChild13: Whew! That was a long review! Thanks very much! And yeah, I guess it's a little strange for a cat to use the word sexy, but I couldn't think of a better word, and you know, it's slightly more threatening. Plus, forty five chapters _is_ pretty long, isn't it? XD**

 **Eagleshine: Really appreciate you favouriting it! As for a chapter from Foxflame's POV, you might get one soon, but the next one if from the POV of Smoketalon.**

 **So this chapter, you guys get to meet the slaves in ShadowClan. So far, I've tried to emphasise the difference in how the slaves are treated in each Clan. In RiverClan, their main job is to hunt, whereas in WindClan their main job is to do jobs like collecting herbs and bedding. In ShadowClan, however, they're put through a bit more than that. Also, the first ThunderClan cat that survived the attack that isn't a warrior is introduced- Aspenpaw!**

 **I should also point out that I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter. I feel like I could've done more with it, but I definitely owed you one after the three week wait, so I posted it anyways.**

 **Hope you guys like the chapters anyways, and as usual, please RR!**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Three:**

'Stop! You're jumping too high. Do it like this...'

Smoketalon sat in the sandy hollow, watching the training session with vague curiosity. It was dusk, and the sun was sinking fast. Night was drawing in. ShadowClan preferred to hold their training sessions later in the day, when long shadows were cast on the forest floor. There was a reason for the namesake of their Clan, after all.

The two apprentices were grappling on the floor, hissing and snarling at each other ferociously. As soon as their mentor, Addertooth, spoke, they rolled away from each other and stood up. It was noticeable how one of them was covered in bleeding scratches while the other was not. Smoketalon's eyes narrowed at the sight. _He wouldn't be if he was allowed to fight back,_ he thought spitefully.

The apprentice's name was Aspenpaw, a young, light grey tomcat with amber eyes. Usually, they would've been filled with bright enthusiasm, but his eyes were dull as he licked his bleeding wounds. Smoketalon thought that Aspenpaw could have beaten the other apprentice quite comfortably if he had been allowed to fight back, or unsheathe his claws. But of course, it wasn't meant to be a fair fight. Aspenpaw was a ThunderClan slave, and the other apprentice was being allowed to practice on him.

Addertooth took his apprentice, Wolfpaw, to one-side, whispering careful encouragement into the young cat's ear. The young tom nodded; his breath was fast and uneven. Aspenpaw turned his head towards Smoketalon, searching for advice, but the black tom looked away.

After a moment's pause, the two apprentices started sparring again. Wolfpaw's hissed with bitter ferocity, but Aspenpaw looked resigned and tired. Smoketalon shook his head. _He_ _doesn't have a chance anymore,_ he thought disinterestedly. _He's given up._

The ThunderClan warrior glanced over his shoulder towards the entrance to the training hollow. A stockily built she-cat called Cedarheart stood there, watching him to make sure he didn't try to escape. Smoketalon sized up her up, icy blue eyes glinting. _I could beat her in a fight easily,_ he thought. The she-cat was bigger than him, but Smoketalon was quicker, and much more intelligent. He'd have her in the floor in seconds. As soon as the she-cat noticed him watching her, her lip curled with hostility, and Smoketalon sneered back.

Wolfpaw had Aspenpaw pinned to the ground. The ThunderClan apprentice struggled weakly, but Wolfpaw's eyes were devoid of pity. He dug his claws into Aspenpaw's back. The grey tom grunted in pain, his voice muffled by the dirt.

'Submit,' Wolfpaw rasped.

Aspenpaw didn't reply.

The ShadowClan tom shifted his weight so that his paws were pressuring Aspenpaw's face into the ground. The apprentice flinched. 'Submit!' he commanded.

Aspenpaw somehow managed to summon the strength to hiss back at him, but nothing more than that. He shuddered, before muttering through gritted teeth. 'I submit.'

Finally, Wolfpaw withdrew, allowing him to stand up. Aspenpaw did so shakily. His pelt was littered with scratches, although they hadn't pierced his skin too badly. For a moment, the apprentice's yellow eyes met those of Smoketalon. The black warrior stared back unflinchingly.

Addertooth padded forward. 'Well done, Wolfpaw!' he praised. 'You fought well, using your speed and agility to outwit your opponent, and I have to say, I'm impressed.'

Despite the fact he was still out of breath, Wolfpaw puffed out his chest arrogantly. 'He was easy to beat,' the tom boasted. 'Did you see how I pinned him to the ground? He didn't have a chance!'

Aspenpaw's eyes narrowed with annoyance. He opened his mouth, tempted to react, but in the end he decided against it.

'Can we carry on training?' Wolfpaw pleaded. 'I was just getting into it.'

Addertooth glanced up at the sky thoughtfully. The clouds were turning black against the burning orange sunset. After a moment's pause, he shook his head. 'No,' he said. 'I'm due for the night patrol, and with all the new territory we've gained, ShadowClan will need as many paws in the camp as possible.'

The mere mention of ShadowClan's new territory made Smoketalon want to slit the warrior's throat. He unsheathed his claws, growling under his breath. _ShadowClan fox-heart!_ he thought furiously.

Thankfully, Addertooth didn't notice him. Instead, the tom padded straight past him, Wolfpaw at his side, until they reached the entrance to the hollow. He whispered something under his breath to Cedarheart, who nodded, before disappearing into the forest.

The grey she-cat turned to face Smoketalon, her long, slender tail twitching. 'Come on,' she grunted. 'We're heading back to camp.'

Smoketalon's pelt bristled indignantly. 'I know!' he spat. 'Did you think I'm a mousebrain?'

Cedarheart's eyes bulged stupidly. 'Why you little-'

But the she-cat didn't get a chance to continue. Smoketalon had already darted past her and out into the dense undergrowth. He heard the she-cat hiss angrily, but she didn't seem willing to carry on the argument. Instead, she just watched him carefully from behind, making sure he didn't try to make a run for it.

Smoketalon ducked and weaved his way through the trees at pace, racing after the already fading scent of Wolfpaw and Addertooth. Aspenpaw followed him closely, trying desperately to keep up with the older tom. He was already out of breath from the training session, and his wounds did nothing to help him. Smoketalon could hear Aspenpaw's exhausted pants from behind as he followed in his wake.

'Smoketalon!' Aspenpaw rasped, breaking the silence. 'Please could you slow down? I can't keep up.'

Had it been any other situation, Smoketalon would've scoffed and told the apprentice to try harder, but Aspenpaw was clearly too tired to carry on, and it would've been cruel to make him. Reluctantly, the tom slowed his pace, allowing the Aspenpaw to catch up with him. The apprentice blinked gratefully at him, but Smoketalon didn't reply.

There were a few moments of awkward silence. Smoketalon kept his emotionless gaze fixed firmly ahead, but he could tell Aspenpaw was dying to say something.

'I'm sorry I lost the sparring contest,' the apprentice murmured. 'I should've fought back better.'

Smoketalon's tail twitched with vague surprise. 'You don't have to apologise,' he grunted. 'It wasn't a fair fight.'

'I know!' Aspenpaw said. 'But I saw the look on your face after Wolfpaw pinned me down. You looked ashamed.'

He trailed off when he saw the steely glint in Smoketalon's eyes. He waited for the warrior to say something, but when he didn't, the apprentice turned away, his tail between his legs.

Neither of the toms said anything else for the rest of the journey. It occurred to Smoketalon that the apprentice looked absolutely miserable. He considered asking him what was wrong, but quickly he decided against it. _He's an apprentice, not a kit!_ Smoketalon thought firmly. _He can take care of himself._

The ShadowClan camp was smothered in darkness. Cleverly concealed by a thick wall of trees and shrubs, you wouldn't have even noticed it was there had it not been for the overwhelming scent of cat. Addertooth padded confidently with his apprentice through the entrance, Smoketalon and Aspenpaw behind him. As soon as they entered, the ShadowClan warriors stared dangerously at the two slaves, their claws unsheathed and their fangs bared.

Addertooth padded up to the leader's den and ducked inside the lichen entrance, probably just to give Ravenstar the go ahead that they'd returned. After that, the tom went back to the warrior's den with Cedarheart to get some rest before the night patrol, leaving Wolfpaw to escort him and Aspenpaw back to the slave's "den".

In truth, it couldn't really be described as a den. It was more of a hole in the ground than anything else. The ShadowClan cats had dug it out for Smoketalon and Aspenpaw just after they'd arrived, but none had deemed them worthy enough of a proper place to sleep. The ThunderClan warrior wrinkled his nose as they approached. Not only was it small and confined, but it stank like crowfood.

Many of the ShadowClan cats growled and hissed as Smoketalon passed. Aspenpaw pressed closer to him, clearly unnerved by their aggression. The warrior made sure to keep his body firm and reassuring. It would do none of them good to get Aspenpaw into a panic.

'You know, I'm surprised you can actually live in that den,' Wolfpaw sneered, as they reached the hole. 'Why don't you just become a rat while you at it as well?'

Smoketalon's ears flattened in anger. _You look like more of a rat than I do,_ he thought angrily.

'I don't know why Ravenstar even thought you'd be useful to this Clan,' the apprentice continued. 'You can't fight, you can't hunt, you can't even defend your own kits!'

It took all of Smoketalon's self control not to jump on Wolfpaw right there and then. He imagined sinking his fangs into the apprentice's neck, and watching him squirm in agony. _That would show that piece of foxdung!_

And had it not been for Aspenpaw, he might've done just that. The small grey tom's yellow eyes were wide and fearful. The ThunderClan warrior met the apprentice's gaze as levelly as he could. Something about his expression was somewhat… soothing.

Wolfpaw looked at him expectantly, anticipating a reaction. A look of frustration passed over his face when Smoketalon remained silent. 'Whatever,' he muttered, before turning around to leave. 'See you around, ThunderClan scum.'

As soon as he'd left, Aspenpaw turned to Smoketalon. 'I hate that arrogant piece of foxdung!' he growled viciously. 'He makes me wanna be sick.'

Smoketalon grunted in agreement, before ducking down and padding into the slave's den. The revolting stench was even worse when closer up. He and Aspenpaw had pulled together two makeshift dens the previous sunrise, just bearable enough to sleep in. They were damp and muddy. A small puddle of water lay at the bottom of the den.

Aspenpaw followed him in, looking like he actually _was_ about to be sick. Smoketalon shifted his nest a little further away from the puddle. He glanced upwards at the sky disapprovingly. The outline of a few rain clouds hovered in the sky. When it rained, the water soaked into the den, and the small overhang provided little to nothing in terms of shelter.

'I'm not getting my pelt wet again tonight,' Smoketalon grumbled, as he moved the feathers. 'No way.'

When he finally managed to get comfortable in his nest, the black tom blinked, his eyelids feeling heavy. The beginnings of a yawn arose in his throat. He was just about to shut his eyes and go to sleep when he heard a grunt of pain come from the other side of the den. Smoketalon looked up to see Aspenpaw staring sullenly at the wounds that had been inflicted upon him earlier. The bleeding had ceased, but they hadn't stopped bothering him yet. Stinging pain was evident in the hunched over way he was holding himself.

All of a sudden, Smoketalon felt an unfamiliar burst of emotion. He couldn't quite place what it was. Regret? Annoyance? Pity? Whatever it was, the warrior knew he couldn't let the young cat suffer on his own.

'Make sure you clean those wounds,' he instructed carefully.

Aspenpaw looked up in surprise, but Smoketalon refused to let any emotion show on his face. 'Cleaning them will help to stop any infections from setting in,' he carried on, almost defensively. 'There's probably a lot of dirt in the cuts from earlier.'

For a moment, all Aspenpaw did was look bewildered, before turning away shyly. He began to lick his scratches with slow rasps of his tongue. Smoketalon watched, making sure the apprentice had treated every single one.

After he'd finished, Aspenpaw's amber eyes had lit up with a new found brightness. He opened his mouth to speak, but Smoketalon spun around before he could.

Just before the warrior could close his eyes, however, he heard a cautious whisper from the other side of the den. 'Thank you.'

Smoketalon didn't answer that one.

* * *

A rough shoulder nudged Smoketalon awake from his sleep. 'Wake up!' the voice commanded. 'We're going on a hunting patrol.'

Smoketalon blinked open his eyes to a see a ShadowClan warrior with a long pelt of shaggy black fur. He blended in perfectly with the darkness of the den, and Smoketalon could only make him out by the harsh glimmer of his amber eyes. The tom's name was Nightwhisper. He had led one of the patrols in the ThunderClan attack.

The thought of going on a patrol so late at night made Smoketalon's pelt crawl in annoyance. He glared unflinchingly back at him. 'A hunting patrol? In the middle of the _night?_ We won't catch a single thing.'

Nightwhisper didn't budge. 'Perhaps a ThunderClan patrol wouldn't,' he said mildly. 'But we are not ThunderClan.'

Smoketalon hissed in frustration, but didn't bother arguing. The ShadowClan cat withdrew, allowing him to get to his paws. The puddle of water had grown in size since he'd fallen asleep.

Across the den, Aspenpaw stirred in his nest, but didn't wake up. Smoketalon glanced at Nightwhisper. 'Is he coming?'

He snorted. 'No. He'll just burden us.'

Smoketalon let out a short sigh of relief. The apprentice still hadn't fully recovered from his wounds, and he was in no condition to go out on another patrol. What Aspenpaw needed the most was some rest.

The ShadowClan tom padded out of the den, gesturing with his tail for Smoketalon to follow him. He did so reluctantly. It was cold and dark in the camp. The moon shown brightly overhead, with the constellations of StarClan burning beside it. Nightwhisper led him over to the camp entrance where the rest of the patrol was waiting. Addertooth was there, along with a she-cat called Whitepool. They acknowledged Nightwhisper's presence with a tip of their head, but no such respect was shown to Smoketalon.

'Good,' Addertooth said, addressing Nightwhisper. 'You brought the slave.'

'Of course,' Nightwhisper replied, much to Smoketalon's dislike.

The two tom's glanced to one side, before leaning in closely and whispering with hushed voices to each other. Smoketalon angled his ears forward with interest. There was a clear impatience in their expressions. He tried to eavesdrop, but he only picked up a few of the words, ones like "deputy" and "leaving".

Smoketalon's eyes narrowed. _And they talking about their deputy behind his back?_

Suddenly, a strong voice echoed from behind them. 'Ah. I see you're already ready.'

Smoketalon spun around. Instantly, his hackles began to rise and the tips of his claws emerged from their sheathes. It was Emberheart, the deputy of ShadowClan. Hatred burned inside his body like fire.

A memory flashed in front of his eyes. Blood soaking the stone floor. The screams of his clan-mates cracking in his ears. This was the cat who'd done it.

This was the cat who'd killed Beechfoot.

Smoketalon stared at Emberheart with more venom than he'd ever felt before. A long, low growl echoed from his throat. Luckily, the ginger tom wasn't looking at him. His suspicious gaze was fixed firmly on Addertooth.

Quickly, the senior warrior shook himself. 'Of course,' Addertooth said, a little nervously. 'We were just…' he glanced at Nightwhisper, 'waiting for you.'

Emberheart raised his head distrustfully, but didn't press the two toms further. Instead, he padded forward until he was standing beside them. For a moment, his and Smoketalon's eyes met. An emotion the ThunderClan warrior couldn't read passed over his face, but it disappeared faster than it had come.

'This should be a short patrol,' the deputy began. 'We'll catch as much as we can in an hour. After that, we'll come straight back to camp. I'm sure you're all very tired.'

'Will we hunt in our new territory?' Whitepool asked eagerly.

Emberheart returned her gaze cooly. 'Not tonight,' he replied. 'But don't worry, you'll get your chance soon enough.' He turned to the rest of the patrol. 'Have we all understood?'

Addertooth and Nightwhisper mumbled back their agreement. Smoketalon didn't say a word.

Emberheart nodded. 'Good. Let's go.'

It seemed to Smoketalon that it was even darker out in the forest than it had been in the camp. The thick branches of the pine trees smothered the faint light of the moon, casting eerie shadows across the forest floor. Emberheart led them gracefully through the undergrowth. Despite the fact they could hardly see their paws in front of their faces, all the ShadowClan cats seemed completely at home amidst the darkness. Smoketalon, on the other paw, could hardly bare it. He wasn't used to being completely reliant on senses other than his sight. _How in StarClan's name do they know where they're going?_ he thought incredulously. _Surely they must get lost._

He peered through the gloom, just about seeing Emberheart's flank through some thorn bushes. The mere thought of him made Smoketalon wanted to shout and scream.

Every time he saw the deputy, all he could think about was his brother's sightless eyes, glaring, motionless, back at him.

Finally, the patrol came to an abrupt halt. They'd arrived in a clearing. The trees parted away when they reached it, making way for some flat grass land. Smoketalon had a strange feeling he'd been there before, but he couldn't quite place it.

'Right,' Emberheart said, turning to face them. 'We'll hunt around this area. Addertooth, you can take Nightwhisper and Whitepool downwind. I'll hunt on my own.'

Addertooth nodded, and got up to leave, before stopping suddenly. 'Wait, who will take the slave?'

Smoketalon's felt his body go tense. For the first time, he was painfully aware of Emberheart's piercing green eyes strained upon him.

'I'll take him,' Emberheart murmured.

Nightwhisper looked doubtful. 'Are you sure you can manage him on your own?'

Emberheart's voice became stern. 'Of course I can,' he snapped. 'Do you doubt that?'

'No, deputy,' Nightwhisper said quickly, although it seemed to Smoketalon that was exactly what he was doing.

Addertooth led the other two cats away, before disappearing into some shrubs on the other side of the clearing. Emberheart turned around, looking at Smoketalon warily. The ThunderClan warrior's eyes were narrowed down to angry slits.

'Well,' Smoketalon said, almost challengingly. 'I suppose you're going to make me hunt while you watch from afar, right?'

Emberheart licked his chest. 'That is the general idea,' he replied, 'although personally, I'd rather not do that.'

'Why?'

'Because I wouldn't put it past you to make a run for it.'

Smoketalon's tail twitched. 'As if I'd be mouse brained enough to do that!' he retorted. 'Unlike you, I'm not a ShadowClan cat.'

'Watch your tongue, slave,' Emberheart growled. 'I'm the deputy of this Clan, and don't you forget it. I could make your life a misery if I wanted to.'

'What, more of a misery than it already is?' Smoketalon spat.

There was a moment of tense silence. Both toms eyed each other up, their fangs bared, teeth tapered down to deadly points. Smoketalon hissed at Emberheart threateningly. _If he even tries to attack me, I'll rip his throat out!_

Emberheart held his gaze for a second longer, before finally looking away. 'Look, you really don't have to be difficult about this,' he said. 'Just start hunting, then we'll go back to camp, okay?'

Smoketalon stayed where he was, paws rooted to the spot.

The deputy sighed in frustration. 'If it makes you feel better about it, I won't watch. Just come back in a few minutes with something to eat.'

There it was again. That emotion. The same from before. It passed over Emberheart's expression for just a moment, before evaporating again. And still, Smoketalon couldn't read it.

The ThunderClam tom shook himself. 'Whatever,' he snarled, before turning his back on the deputy and padding deeper into the undergrowth.

 _Stupid ShadowClan fox-heart,_ Smoketalon thought furiously, as he walked. _I hate them. I hate them all! Especially Emberheart._ _One day, he'll pay for what he did to my brother._

The tom glanced over his shoulder, half expecting Emberheart to be tailing him, but to his surprise, the deputy hadn't followed. All the better. He wouldn't have to worry about another cat watching him.

The burning anger in Smoketalon's paws kept him walking for awhile, and it remained present even as he slowed down. He was angry at everyone. At ShadowClan, at StarClan, and even partly at himself.

He stopped just beside a large, rotting yew tree. It branches were withered and dying, and with Leaf-bare fast approaching, it wouldn't be long until it died completely. Through the clumps of bark and twigs, Smoketalon could see a faint glimmer of light. The moon and stars were shining even brighter than before.

It made him feel sad.

 _Beechfoot…_ he thought. _Are you watching me? I hope so._

Smoketalon wasn't a sentimental cat. He rarely showed emotion, but this was different. This was Beechfoot, the only cat who'd ever understood him. _Don't worry Beechfoot,_ he promised. _One day, I'll avenge your death. One day, Emberheart will pay for what he did to you._

Suddenly, something cracked underfoot. Smoketalon spun around, his ears pricked. He could hardly see a thing, but he knew the scent of prey well enough to know when it was nearby. _Mouse!_ he thought excitedly.

Instinctively, Smoketalon dropped into a crouch, facing the direction where he'd heard the noise come from. He breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of the mouse. Something told him the small, furry creature didn't know he was there yet. It was still sniffing around, searching for it's next meal. Soon, the mouse would be Smoketalon's next catch.

He began to creep forward, although he felt blind without his sight. He had to feel the earth in front of him every time he took a step, just to ensure he wouldn't step on anything that would alert the mouse. But slowly and carefully, he picked away forward until he was the perfect position. And then, he pounced.

The mouse didn't stand a chance. It was in his mouth in seconds. It squeaked helplessly, but any protest it may have had was cut short when Smoketalon expertly inflicted the killing bite. He sat back in pleasure, proud that he'd managed to catch the mouse despite his lack of sight.

The mouse tasted tantalising in Smoketalon's mouth. He wanted desperately to take a huge bite out of it; he hadn't eaten since last morning, but he knew he couldn't. Emberheart had told him to bring back something to eat, and much to Smoketalon's dislike, he knew he probably wouldn't be able to catch anything else in the darkness.

All the same, it was painful to know he had caught the mouse for a Clan he didn't even belong to.

The rest of the patrol was waiting for him when he returned to the clearing. Addertooth, Nightwhisper and Whitepool and pulled together a respectful haul, whereas Emberheart had managed to catch a squirrel. The deputy looked relieved that Smoketalon hadn't ran off after he'd let him hunt alone. _Next time, you might not be so lucky,_ Smoketalon thought.

Addertooth sniffed at his mouth disdainfully. 'That's all you managed to catch?' he sneered. 'Pathetic.'

Smoketalon clenched his paws together, but just about managed to catch his tongue in time. Emberheart, for a ShadowClan cat, was soft. If he'd spoken back to Addertooth, the tom would definitely have made sure the news got across to Ravenstar.

And that was something he definitely didn't want to happen.

'Good work, everyone,' Emberheart praised. 'You all hunted well.'

Whitepool brightened up considerably at her deputy's praise, but Smoketalon noticed how Nightwhisper and Addertooth barely moved. He recalled how the two warriors had been talking about Emberheart behind his back earlier. _Do they have some sort of problem with Emberheart?_

As they padded back to camp, it occurred to Smoketalon that maybe some cats in ShadowClan disliked Emberheart just as much as he did.

* * *

 **Well there you have it! Chapter Three done! I guess the ending might seem a little abrupt, but I felt like the chapter would've dragged on too long had I continued it. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Please RR, and I'll post chapter four ASAP! XDXDXD**


	5. Chapter 4: Sageclaw

**Author's Note: And Slaves returns with chapter four!**

 **Again, I have to apologise for the slight delay. I hope this doesn't become a running theme in my Ans for this story, but I've already explained why it's difficult to get writing out, what with exams and everything.**

 **Anyways, here are my replies to your reviews!**

 **Foxtail of StormClan: *facepalm* Oh well done me, I actually made the same mistake two chapters in a row. Hopefully I didn't do that in this chapter… But yeah, thanks a lot for returning to review the story! Your support is always appreciated.**

 **Fluffyunicorn: Thanks a lot! Yeah, I'd hoped when I was writing the story that the idea was cool and original. XD**

 **WildChild13: I think it's spelled cheesy. :) And as usual thanks for your amazing reviews! Uh huh, I hope that when ThunderClan returns (if they do, that is) they do get some payback.**

 **The Strange One: Thanks for your review! And I promise that I will try to keep the chapters coming.**

 **PopCat: Yeah, I have a few subplots planned for Mr Emberheart that you should find intriguing in the future. DUN DUN DUN DUHHHHHHHH And also, I kinda sympathise with Aspenpaw myself. I'm so cruel in this story… ah well. :D**

 **So in this chapter, we return to RiverClan, where Sageclaw and Foxflame aren't finding life as slaves any easier. Plus, you'll get to find out about what else happened on Foxflame's patrol that was witnessed by Eaglefang in Chapter Two!**

 **So without further ado, Chapter Four may commence! Please RR!**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Four:**

A cool breeze rushed through the camp, making Sageclaw's pelt stand on end. It was warmer and brighter than the previous day, and the wind was weaker as well. Nevertheless, it was by no means pleasant. Perhaps if Sageclaw was sat underneath the trees of a forest, he would've been more comfortable, but he wasn't. RiverClan's territory, seemingly devoid of any shrubs or undergrowth, madeSageclaw feel bare and exposed.

He was sat just outside the slave's den; a small mouse was laying at his paws. He licked his chops as his belly growled, demanding to be fed. The slaves were forbidden to eat with the RiverClan warriors by the fresh kill pile. Instead, their food was delivered to their den after they'd finished hunting. It was sun high: he and Foxflame had caught all their prey early.

Slowly, he sank his teeth into the fresh kill, savouring it's rich flavours in his mouth. He glanced sidewards at Foxflame. She hadn't started eating yet, but was eyeing her squirrel hungrily. He opened his mouth, feeling the need to say something.

'You don't need to start a conversation every time we're alone, you know,' Foxflame interrupted wryly.

Sageclaw's eyes narrowed. 'Well, it would be good to talk to someone,' he retorted. 'It's not as if I can talk to the RiverClan warriors.'

'Yeah well, I don't want to talk to you.'

Sageclaw let out a quiet hiss, before finishing off the last few morsels of his mouse. The sight of him eating seemed to be too tempting for Foxflame to resist, for she quickly began to eat her squirrel.

An awkward silence passed between them, or though it seemed to Sageclaw the awkwardness was mostly felt by him. _Why does she have to be so infuriating?_ he thought frustratedly. _It wouldn't hurt to be friendly once in awhile._

 _Of all the cats I could've ended up with in this mess, it had just had to be here_ _didn't it StarClan?_

He stole a quick look at the she-cat, expecting the usual grumpy expression to be on her face. A flicker of surprise washed over him when he saw her staring off absently into the distance. There was an uncharacteristic sadness in her eyes. Her ears were twitching and her tail was swishing along the ground.

'Foxflame?' Sageclaw said uncertainly. 'Are you alright?'

At the sound of his voice, the melancholy look on her face evaporated. 'I'm fine,' she snapped, twisting her head to face him.

He snorted disbelievingly. 'Then why do you look so upset?'

'I'm _not_ upset!' she growled, before turning her back on him. Sageclaw watched her determinedly, waiting for her to speak again.

She sighed. 'It's just something that Eelscratch said on the patrol yesterday.'

Suddenly, Sageclaw remembered what had happened in the slave's den last sunset. After he'd returned, he'd suspected Foxflame had been holding something back from him, but she hadn't revealed what it was. Could this be it?

 _Trust the little snakeheart Eelscratch to say something out of line!_ he thought angrily.

'Foxflame,' Sageclaw said quietly. He tried to hide his sympathy, but it was obvious he was concerned. 'What did he say?'

The she-cat didn't answer, clearly trying to avoid the question.

'Foxflame,' he persisted, moving a little closer. 'If there's something wrong, it really helps to tell someone about it-'

'Don't talk to me like I'm a kit, Sageclaw!' Foxflame hissed. Her eyes were alight with annoyance. 'I can take care of myself.'

Sageclaw was just about to tell her exactly what he thought about her, when all of a sudden, he heard a loud voice echo across the RiverClan camp.

'Seriously Shellstorm, I don't need your help when I'm making my nest.'

He twisted his head, surprised, to see a she-cat standing outside the warrior's den. Beside her was the deputy, Shellstorm. Sageclaw remembered the huge warrior's cold, authoritative arrogance from when he had called out the patrol's yesterday. His eyes contracted with undisguised dislike. Sageclaw assumed that the deputy would give the brave she-cat a sharp reminder who was really in charge, but a wave of shock passed through him when he saw the soft affection in Shellstorm's gaze. Quickly, Sageclaw recognised the she-cat. Reedshade, he realised.

From a distance, Sageclaw couldn't make out the finer details of her appearance, but he didn't need to be close up to tell that she was attractive. Not in a vain sort've way, though. There was something vaguely appealing in the shine of her glossy pelt, and her soft green eyes. Sageclaw hadn't really talked to her since he'd arrived: she hadn't been appointed as his guard yet, and she always seemed to be surrounded by a patrol or a group of friends. Besides, there was no need for a warrior to talk to a lowly ThunderClan slave, right?

Not only that, there was the minor fact that she was Shellstorm's mate.

Sageclaw angled his ears forward with interest, curious to see what happened next. Foxflame displayed no such curiosity, however, and instead looked away pointedly.

'Of course you don't,' Shellstorm replied, his voice unusually smooth. 'It's just that you're my mate, and I haven't talked to you yet today.'

Reedshade didn't look at all impressed. 'And so you feel the need to follow me around everywhere?' she shot back. 'Even when I'm making my nest?'

'Come now, darling,' Shellstorm purred, moving closer to the she-cat. He draped his tail over her shoulder, before leaning in closely and no doubt whispering the usual persuasive soppiness into her ear. The mere sight made Sageclaw feel sickly to the the stomach. _What a pair of deluded mousebrains,_ he thought.

When Shellstorm finally withdrew, Reedshade looked a little less convinced, but clearly still annoyed. Sageclaw didn't blame her. It must be incredibly patronising to be spoken to in that way. 'Well, no matter what you think, I still have to make my nest,' she muttered. 'I'll just grab some moss from the other side of camp, and then we can eat together if you want.'

'There's no need for you to collect it yourself!' Shellstorm exclaimed. 'Have you forgotten the latest additions to our Clan?' The deputy turned his head, and his eyes met those of Sageclaw. 'Slave. Get my mate some moss.'

The ThunderClan tom stiffened instantly. The fur along his back bristled when Shellstorm used the word "slave".

There was a short moment of silence. Sageclaw glanced sidewards at Foxflame. She was smirking at him triumphantly.

'Well?' Shellstorm said coldly. 'Don't make me repeat myself.'

Sageclaw got to his paws reluctantly. 'Yes sir,' he rasped, through gritted teeth.

Slowly, he turned around and padded towards where the moss grew. Unlike in ThunderClan, where you had to leave camp to collect moss, there was part of RiverClan's camp, full of boulders, where moss grew in abundance. He bent over and scraped a large amount of moss off the rocks, before padding over to where the deputy and his mate were standing.

When he reached them, Sageclaw ducked his head respectfully, although with little enthusiasm. Shellstorm reached forward and snatched the moss from his grasp without a slimmer of gratitude. The ThunderClan tom's temper flared, but he didn't dare say a word.

'You see darling?' Shellstorm said, in a sickly sweet tone. 'We have slaves now. Jobs like making your nest are frivolous and unnecessary.'

Sageclaw glared at Reedshade, waiting to see what her reaction would be. She didn't seem very satisfied. There was a clear uncertainty in the pools of her emerald eyes. She tilted her head slightly, and her eyes met Sageclaw's. Green looked into green. There was an emotion Sageclaw couldn't read in the depths of her expression. A sort ofregret, or perhaps it was doubt?

Thankfully, Shellstorm didn't notice the exchange. Instead, he dropped the moss at his mate's paws, before facing Sageclaw. Whatever affection he might've had when looking at Reedshade disappeared, giving way to open hatred.

'It sure is good that we invaded ThunderClan,' Shellstorm said contemptuously. 'Not only do we get more prey and territory, but we don't get their pathetic interference with our personal affairs any more.'

He shifted his weight onto his right side, displaying the full extent of his muscle to the slave. Sageclaw felt fear ofthe deputy shake his bones.

'I remember the night we attacked,' he continued. The tom unsheathed his claws and began to lick them in the pale light, the smirk on his face growing wider every moment. 'All of you cowered like mice. Hiding from us! ThunderClan always were cowardly fox-hearts, quivering in a corner at the first _sight_ of danger. You didn't even try and defend yourself!'

Sageclaw refused to meet Shellstorm's eyes. He felt that if he did, his rage would overcome him. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the floor, trying desperately to control himself.

'We rounded you up first, before separating the important cats from the weak and helpless. Those brave enough to fight were killed.' He laughed, revelling in the memory. 'Your medicine cat. What was her name? Willowflight, I think it was. She begged us for mercy before we killed her.'

Sageclaw remembered that night. The rain had poured like there had been no tomorrow. And for ThunderClan, there hadn't. Sometimes, the screams of his clan-mates still rang in his head at night. Sageclaw recalled trying to force his way through the ShadowClan warriors that had surrounded him, but they'd pushed him back with little effort. He had been lucky. Many of the cats who'd fought beside him had been killed in the struggle, but somehow, he'd survived.

In hindsight, he almost regretted it.

Shellstorm nudged the ThunderClan tom; the slightest of contacts almost sent him sprawling. 'Don't _you_ think it's good that ThunderClan's been destroyed?' he asked sarcastically.

Sageclaw didn't answer.

Shellstorm hadn't finished yet, though. 'I asked you a question slave,' he snarled. 'Don't you think it's good that ThunderClan's been destroyed?'

Before the deputy could go any further, however, Reedshade stepped forward, her eyes full of the same emotion from before. 'Stop Shellstorm,' she said, a hint of urgency in her voice.

Sageclaw breathed in sharply, surprised by the she-cat's sudden outburst. _Is she standing up for me?_ he thought, mystified.

Shellstorm didn't look at all happy. 'Why?' he said, turning to face the she-cat. 'He's a slave. A low life.'

'But it's humiliating,' Reedshade replied stubbornly. 'Besides, no matter if he's a slave, he's still a cat-'

'Yes,' Shellstorm interrupted. For the first time in the conversation, Sageclaw noticed, the deputy wasn't looking upon his mate with the usual air of affection. 'A ThunderClan cat. He doesn't deserve our respect.'

'Please, Shellstorm!' the she-cat pleaded. Her tail kinked low over her back, almost submissively. 'Don't treat him so harshly, at least not this time. For me.'

Shellstorm went quiet. In the silence that followed, the only sound that Sageclaw could hear was his own heart, pounding inside his chest.

'Fine,' Shellstorm grunted. This was quickly followed by a short sigh of relief from his mate. 'But don't expect me to show such sentiment towards a slave every time I talk to one, Reedshade,' he warned coldly. 'Just this once…' The smallest hint of a smile appeared around the edges of his lips. 'For you, my darling.'

The two cat's muzzles met, their purrs joining together in a soft symphony of pleasure. Sageclaw looked away, feeling almost ashamed that he'd needed Reedshade to come to his rescue. _I should be able to defend myself,_ he thought, annoyed.

 _But when it came to it, I was completely helpless. Just like Shellstorm said my Clanmates were._

After the two lovebirds had finished, Shellstorm padded away, leaving Reedshade to organise her nest privately. But not before his eyes had met those of Sageclaw for one last time. His gaze lingered on the slave, and just before he left, he whispered under his breath, so that he could hear, 'You get off lucky this time, slave. If it hadn't been my mate, you can be certain I would've gone further.'

Sageclaw felt a shiver of fear and apprehension pass through him. When the deputy had moved out of earshot, he added quietly, 'I don't doubt it.'

Slowly, Sageclaw got back up to his paws, before licking his chest fur self-consciously. Reedshade was picking up the moss he'd collected her, but he was painfully aware that the she-cat was staring intently at him. The tom wanted to cough, but he stopped to save the embarrassment.

He was just about to pad back to the slave's den when he heard Reedshade's voice once more. 'Wait!' she ordered.

Sageclaw stopped in his tracks. He closed his eyes regretfully. _Can't she just leave me alone?_ he thought, exasperated. _She is the last cat in the world that I want to speak to at the moment._

But despite of himself, Sageclaw couldn't help but feel a familiar twinge of his StarClan forsaken curiosity. Sageclaw was certain it would be the death of him someday, but he wanted to know why the she-cat had come so valiantly to his rescue, against the better word of her mate. And besides, if he disobeyed her, he suspected he'd receive a much worse punishment that just facing Reedshade again.

So hesitantly, Sageclaw turned around again. 'Yes?' he muttered.

Reedshade opened her mouth to speak, but then immediately closed it again. She shuffled her paws awkwardly, searching for the right thing to say.

Eventually, she spoke, 'Thank you.'

Sageclaw's eyes narrowed. 'For what?'

'For collecting the moss.'

'Oh!' Sageclaw said, taken back. He hadn't expected that. 'Well, you know…' he trailed off. 'I didn't really have much of a choice.'

Reedshade lot out a short, sad chuckle. 'No,' she said quietly. 'I guess you didn't.'

Only silence followed her. Neither cats wanted to speak; they didn't even want to make eye contact. Sageclaw looked away, his gaze finally coming to rest on the sky above him. For the first time in sunrises, the tom saw flecks of blue on the sky's usual greyish surface. The clouds were dark, almost black, just like they'd been yesterday. _It won't be long before it starts snowing,_ Sageclaw thought, privately.

Finally, the tom decided to make the first action. 'Well, if that's all,' he said. 'I'll be going.'

For a moment, Reedshade's eyes widened, as if she was reluctant for him even to do that, but she made no action to stop him. Instead, she simply nodded, allowing him to leave.

Relieved, Sageclaw began to pad back to the slave's den, but not before he heard Reedshade's soft voice echo in his ears one last time. 'Wait!' she called. 'What's your name?'

Sageclaw paused. His tail twitched. 'What makes you think I'd want you to know that?'

That was the last thing either of them said before Sageclaw ducked back into the slave's den.

* * *

 _That night, Sageclaw found himself dreaming once more._

 _He was back in the starry plain, that seemed to carry on to the edges of StarClan and beyond. He was padding softly: the grass, although shrouded by strange whirling mist, was crunching softly under his paws. He was following the voice he had heard in his last dream. The one that sounded like all the most beautiful things in the world had met in a long, soothing crescendo._

 _'Where are we going?' Sage_ _claw said_ _in wonder. He didn't know where the voice was, or even what it was, only that he could feel it's presence beside him, like a divine entity._

 _'We are searching for the one thing you told me you wanted more than anything,' the voice replied._

 _'Freedom?'_

 _'Yes,' the voice replied. 'Freedom indeed.'_

 _Sageclaw almost stopped. Confusion washed over him like the ripples of a stream. 'But how can we find freedom?' he_ _asked._

 _'The same way that we'd find anything else,' the voice echoed_ _calmly. 'We look for it.'_

 _This time, Sageclaw really did stop. 'But freedom isn't just something you can find,' he objected._

 _'And why do you think that?'_

 _'Because-' Sageclaw began confidently, but he after a moments thought, he frowned. Why did he think that?_

 _Slowly, the ThunderClan tom began again. 'Because freedom isn't like a place, which you can find at will,' he murmured. 'Freedom is… a feeling.'_

 _A short chuckle made Sageclaw shuffle his paws in embarrassment. 'Well, if freedom is what you believe it to be, that surely you_ can _find it. For instance, many cats claim that they are looking for love, and yet that is not a place. Neither is freedom.'_

 _Sageclaw remained silent for a second, before opening his mouth again. 'Where are you taking me?' He asked, glancing around at the never ending plain. 'How can we find freedom here, amongst the stars?'_

 _The voice didn't reply for awhile, making Sageclaw think that it had abandoned him, but soon enough, it did speak. 'Remember this, Sageclaw,' it_ _said. 'No matter how trapped you may seem, or how lost you might feel, in a sense, you are already free…'_

* * *

 **And there you have it! The end of Chapter Four!**

 **I'm sorry if the chapter felt a bit rushed at some points. I don't think it did, but I like to make sure anyway. I didn't have time to proof read this chapter before I published it, so I may do some light editing later if there are too many errors. I did a little scan of the text and I think it looks alright. Please tell me what you thought in a quick review! Nothing motivates me more than reviews!**

 **Also, what did you think about that Reedshade? Did you like her character?** **SNEAK PEAK: Reedshade becomes quite an important character later in the story. XD**

 **Finally, if you post a review, I'd be really interested to hear who your favourite character in Slaves is so far. Please RR, and I'll post Chapter 5 soon. :)**


	6. Chapter 5: Eaglefang

**Author's Note: Hey guys, and welcome back to chapter five of Slaves! So glad to post the next chapter. :P I don't think the wait was as long for this one as it was for some of the previous chapters, which i'm happy about.**

 **Here are my replies to your reviews!**

 **WildChild13: Thanks so much for your continued support. You reviews are ace! :) Yeah, Shellstorm is a bit of a jerk isn't he? And I'm glad you like Smoketalon. He certainly has the most interesting backstory out of the three main characters, which you'll find out about later in the story!**

 **PopCat: Thanks for your review! It's really cool to hear your excited for the chapters, and i guess it's probably the same for me when I'm talking to my crush as well. XD**

 **Guest: Thanks for the review as usual, and as your wish for the story to be continued is my command! *bows graciously***

 **So in this chapter, we return to WindClan where the days are getting colder and we're learning more about Eaglefang and Palewhisper. The story is going so well at the moment, and I feel like I'm setting up the narrative of all the characters quite well. Especially these two. Hopefully, anyway.**

 **Hope you enjoy the chapter anyways! Word count for this chapter: 4,948 words. Didn't quite break 5,000, but there you go.**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Five:**

'More nightmares?' Eaglefang murmured gravely.

He and Palewhisper were sat side by side, their paws searching through the dirty, matted pelts of the WindClan elders. Several sunrises had passed since the day he and Ryesong had encountered the RiverClan patrol, and ever since, the days had got darker and the jobs had got worse. Now that they were approaching the coldest part of Leafbare, Gorsestar had decided that he had to concentrate his apprentice's efforts on hunting and fighting practice, leaving the chores around camp for the slaves to do. Eaglefang's eyelids drooped with exhaustion; of all the cats in WindClan, he was working the hardest. With Palewhisper's condition, he knew he couldn't put her through too much hard work, so he'd taken most of the jobs upon himself. Although some things couldn't just have been completed by Eaglefang alone, for instance, sorting out the elder's ticks.

The cat Eaglefang was grooming was an old tom called Branchcall. He wasn't the worst of the two elders. Mostly he just ignored them, but Chivedash, the she-cat Palewhisper had been assigned to, was one the crankiest, rudest cats in WindClan. Whenever Eaglefang even looked at her, she'd spit and snarl at him with a barage of insults. Thankfully for the two of them, both elders had poor hearing, which was why he'd felt compelled to ask Palewhisper about her nightmares.

Eaglefang had hoped that her dreams would get better over time, but unfortunately, they'd done anything but. In fact, they seemed to have got worse. The she-cat still woke up in the middle of the night, screaming her mother's name. Consequently Eaglefang's own sleeping habits were being upset, for it was always him that had to comfort Palewhisper after another horror-filled night. After all, who else was there?

But a moment after he asked the question, he quickly regretted it. Palewhisper's eyes filled up with sadness, making Eaglefang wince.

'Still not good,' she replied quietly, without looking up. There was a haunted look on her face.

'The same every time?'

'Yes.'

Eaglefang nodded slowly. Not even the dream itself had changed. The she-cat told him of the same one every time. She would see what was once the ThunderClan camp, and all of her dead Clanmates. They would be drenched in blood. She would try to escape, but they'd catch her every time. And when she finally woke up, it was no relief. To either of them.

He parted Branchcall's pelt, searching for more ticks to remove. A particularly large one was crawling over the elder's shoulder. Eaglefang dabbed some of the mouse bile on the tick, before cracking it with his tooth. It left a sour taste on his tongue.

'Don't worry,' he murmured reassuringly. 'They'll go eventually.'

'You said that yesterday,' Palewhisper sniffed. 'And the day before.'

'I know,' Eaglefang sighed, 'but you can't get down about it. Who knows? Maybe tonight they really will go away.'

He glanced towards her, just as she was getting rid of another tick. 'Besides,' he said. 'I bet you'd rather be having those nightmares than sorting out the elders!'

A rare smile passed over Palewhisper's face, and she opened her mouth to laugh, but was cut short by a loud, impatient huff.

'What are you two wittering about?' Chivedash, the WindClan elder snapped. She twisted her head towards them, eyes full of contempt. 'Shut up and finish my ticks.'

Eaglefang hissed quietly under his breath, but didn't dare retort. Instead, he went back to the grooming. The two ThunderClan cats didn't speak again until they'd finished.

Once he was done, Eaglefang got to his paws, making sure not to get any of the mouse bile near his mouth. The last time he'd made that mistake, he'd had to taste the mouse bile in his mouth for days. 'We're finished,' he said, wiping his paws on the ground, before turning around and padding towards the entrance, Palewhisper at his side.

He heard the two elders stretch out behind him. 'Took you awhile, didn't it?' Chivedash jeered. 'An apprentice could've done that quicker than you did!'

Eaglefang ignored the jibe, although he noticed a strange expression pass over Palewhisper's face at her words. He had the feeling she was thinking about ThunderClan, the one thing Eaglefang definitely _didn't_ want to talk about.

Once they'd left the den, he snorted in disgust. 'I hate elders,' he told her. 'Especially WindClan ones. They think that just because they're older than you, they can boss you around-'

He trailed off when Palewhisper didn't answer. She still had the strange, absent look in her eyes.

Eaglefang felt his heart swell with sympathy for her. Slowly, he came to a stop, before turning to face her, his tail twitching with worry. 'Palewhisper, he said quietly. 'What's wrong? Do you want to talk to me about something?'

She stared at the floor for a moment, before finally meeting Eaglefang's gaze. Deep amber met pale blue. The tom searched for something, anything, that would tell him as to what she was thinking about, but all he found was the strongest, most sincere emotion in her eyes. She looked lost, depressed, and almost shy. It made him feel a little… uncomfortable.

There was silence for awhile, before Palewhisper looked away, breaking the eye contact. She opened her mouth to speak, before closing it again, clearly thinking better of it.

Eaglefang found that there were a hundred things he wanted to say to her, but he couldn't find the words to say to them. Eventually, he too looked away. 'Whatever,' he said. 'Let's go back to our den.'

This time, Eaglefang let Palewhisper walk ahead of him. He didn't want to feel like he had to make conversation with her. It was awkward enough as it was.

His eyes lingered on Palewhisper's pelt. She walked in a strangely undignified way, with her paws trembling a little. The tom knew there was so much he'd left unsaid, but for some reason, there was something holding him back. He shook his head, trying to keep his mind off it.

The camp was, unsurprisingly, empty. Gorsestar and Sandpelt were pushing everyone in WindClan harder by the day, preparing them for when the snow came. Eaglefang had even noticed some of the kits putting a shift in. Skystar, although brisk, had never worked cats as hard when he was in ThunderClan. He assumed that Leafbare was harder out on the moor than it was living in the warm, comforting undergrowth of the forest.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the entrance to the camp parted to reveal one of the returning hunting patrols, led by the deputy herself. He glanced at her paws, half expecting them to be empty, but to his surprise they'd caught a fair amount. Eaglefang felt his stomach rumble unintentionally; he hadn't eaten since the night before.

But as they passed, he noticed they didn't look quite as satisfied as they should've done. Sandpelt had an annoyed look on her face, and her patrol were clearly disgruntled. Eaglefang pricked up his ears as they headed towards the fresh kill pile to deposit their prey.

'Oh come on guys!' one of them was murmuring. 'We still brought back a lot.'

'Yeah,' another replied, 'but we would've brought back more if it hadn't been for those fish brains.'

For a moment, Eaglefang thought that they had been raided by a RiverClan patrol, but quickly he remembered what he'd heard a few sunrises ago. Gorsestar had mentioned that since RiverClan were on the complete other side of the lake, both WindClan and ShadowClan would share some of what they caught every day in their newly acquired territory to RiverClan. The hunting patrol must've been forced to give away a large portion of their prey in order to get them so frustrated.

Sandpelt turned to face the cat who'd spoken. 'Stop complaining,' she snapped. 'RiverClan took part in the battle against ThunderClan as well. They _deserved_ the prey we gave them.'

'Sure Sandpelt,' he grumbled in reply, 'but they took nearly half of it! We caught that prey on our territory. It was rightfully ours!'

Instantly, Eaglefang felt the familiar heat rise to his cheeks. His tail curled and twisted in anger. _Rightfully yours?_ he thought furiously. _You don't deserve that prey any more than RiverClan does!_

'Eaglefang?'

Palewhisper's quiet, almost nervous, voice echoed out to him. He turned to face her as she peered out of the slave's den towards him. 'Are you coming?' she asked hesitantly.

Eaglefang glanced back towards the fresh kill pile, where the patrol were settling down to eat. He watched as Sandpelt disappeared into the leader's den, most likely to report the events of the patrol to Gorsestar. Finally, he nodded before following Palewhisper in.

The now recognisable scents of the slave den hit his nostrils fiercely as he padded over to his nest and sat down. It was barely sun-high, but Eaglefang already felt tired. It seemed to him that he always felt tired. Slowly, the tom rasped his tongue over his pelt, settling down his ruffled fur. The soft motion of his tongue soothed the anger burning like a fire inside him, but he still felt restless. Anyone would feel restless if you had to spend half your life cooped up in a den that hardly sheltered one cat.

Palewhisper settled down beside him, her watchful blue eyes strained upon him. He didn't acknowledge her glance, instead choosing to carry on washing. After a few seconds, she began to follow suit. It occurred to him that he hadn't seen Palewhisper wash in a long, long time.

The silence that followed, Eaglefang found, was even more comforting than the rhythmic laps of his tongue. It was rare that he got to experience something as simple and peaceful as silence, where he could think without intruding eyes surveying his every move. The quiet lulled him. _I think,_ Eaglefang realised, _that I deserve a rest more than anyone else around the lake._

The tomcat crouched down, resting his stomach against the warm feathers of his nest and tucking his paws underneath him. Just before he closed his eyes, however, he raised his head.

'I'm gonna take a rest if that's okay with you?' he said. 'Wake me up if anyone comes.'

Palewhisper's ears twitched, telling him that she'd heard, but she didn't say anything more than that. With a yawn, Eaglefang turned back to his nest, where he rested his head against his flank and fell asleep.

* * *

When he woke up, he was alone in the slave's den. It was significantly darker outside, but a few beams of light were still visible from inside the den. Palewhisper had disappeared. A slight twinge of worry tugged at his side, but he shoved it away without a second thought. _She's probably just gone to do a job._

He stretched and sat up in his nest. The nap had cleared his mind somewhat; no longer did he feel so uptight and fatigued. Reluctantly, he stood up, before padding over to the entrance and poking his head out into the camp.

The clearing was much more full now. Most of the cats out on patrol had returned, and were panting heavily around the corners of the fresh kill pile. Gorsestar had emerged form his den, with Sandpelt and a few other senior warriors at his side. They were deep in discussion, most likely talking about what had happened on the hunting patrol earlier. Many of their faces were grave. Not good.

Eaglefang pulled his gaze away from them and looked towards the other side of the camp, searching for a pale white pelt amongst the crowd, but he couldn't see his fellow ThunderClan slave.

Suddenly, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Gorsestar was staring at him, his expression unreadable. He looked away as soon as the tom noticed, but Eaglefang had seen him either way. The leader nodded at one of his senior warriors, Harestoop, who turned around and began to cross the camp towards him.

Eaglefang straightened up as soon as he approached. Senior warriors were cats that he had to show the upmost respect to, equal to the kind of respect he showed Sandpelt. They were just as important in the Clan, and almost as influential.

'You,' Harestoop grunted, as he camp to a stop beside him. 'Just a brief for the sunrise patrol tomorrow. Cloudstreak will be taking you out on a patrol to the RiverClan border, just to check-' Suddenly, he stopped, as if he had said too much.

 _I guess a senior warrior shouldn't be telling a slave anything about his Clan's private affairs,_ Eaglefang thought.

He dipped his head in return. There was no need to say anything to him, and Harestoop didn't expect him to. The senior warrior was just about to pad back to Gorsestar when suddenly he stopped, as if he'd forgotten something.

'One other thing,' he said. 'Tell the she-cat that she'll also be required on patrols tomorrow. We need to catch all the prey we can for Leaf-bare.'

And with that, Harestoop left, leaving Eaglefang alone outside the slave's den. It appeared that the Clan were struggling more than he thought to find prey, if they were asking him and Palewhisper to come out on patrol as well. He doubted they would be of much use though, especially Palewhisper. They were both very out of practice in hunting.

 _Speaking of Palewhisper, I should probably go and find her,_ he thought absently.

Without thinking too much about it, Eaglefang began to look for her. He hadn't seen her around the fresh kill pile when he'd emerged from the slave's den, so he assumed that she was doing another chore in one of the dens. But to his surprise, and slight alarm, she wasn't in any of them. Neither was she with Ryesong, and neither was she running any errands for the warriors. The slightest frown was beginning to form on his face. Where was she?

Suddenly, a snippet of a few of the WindClan warrior's conversation caught his attention. They were mentioning something about "one of the slaves". Making sure not to draw too much scrutiny too himself, he slowly padded over until he was close enough to eavesdrop. He recognised the two of them. One was Slatefrost, the cat who'd been guarding the entrance to the camp when he'd gone to collect herbs with Ryesong, and the other was Morningflight, an mottled olive coloured she-cat.

'-yeah well, I don't really see the point of having these slaves if they're never there when you need them to do something.' Morningflight was sniffing. 'I couldn't find the she-cat slave when I was looking for her earlier.'

Slatefrost nodded his agreement. 'I know right? They're disrespectful too. A few sunrises ago, one of them snapped at me. I wouldn't taught him lesson if it wasn't for Ryesong.'

Morningflight glanced around the camp, almost suspiciously. 'Speaking of which, where is that she-cat?' she said. 'I still haven't seen her since I went looking for her.'

The tom shrugged. 'I saw her leave camp awhile ago,' he replied. 'I thought she was going out to collect something.'

Eaglefang's ears pricked up. _Palewhisper left camp?_ he thought, surprised. _But I told her to wake me up if someone came to her about a job!_ It seemed strange to him that she would break a promise she'd made to him for seemingly no reason. She'd never done something like that before, unless…

Unless she didn't want him to know she'd left camp.

All of a sudden, a cold feeling of dread washed over him. The idea of Palewhisper out on the moor in Leafbare made him anxious, especially considering the kind of state she was in. What if she tried to do something stupid? What if she got attacked by something? What if she met a patrol from another Clan?

He glanced anxiously towards the entrance to the camp, feeling a bit panicked. Palewhisper was his responsibility. She was as helpless as a kit without him, and yet he'd turned a completely blind eye to her while he was sleeping. _Careless, Eaglefang!_ hescolded himself. _If something happens to her, it will be all your fault. You can't have something like that having over your head!_

Slowly, he began to pad away from Slatefrost and Morningflight, trying to hide the rush of emotions flowing through his body. His heart was racing ferociously. _I have to go and find her before she gets herself killed!_

The walk to the entrance of the camp seemed to take an eternity. He glanced constantly over his shoulder, making sure no one was watching him while he padded. How could he get out of camp without anyone noticing or suspecting something was wrong? What if someone caught him while he did so? They'd probably think he was trying to escape.

One thing was for certain. He couldn't just walk out the camp entrance.

Thinking quickly, he glanced over to the only other exit to the camp. The Dirtplace. As an apprentice in ThunderClan he had used it as a means of getting out of camp hundreds of times, and it seemed it would be coming in handy once more.

Eaglefang slipped into the tunnel, ignoring the stench of other's cats dirt. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, making sure not to place his paws anywhere dirty, before ducking through the other side and out onto the moor.

The freezing cold air took him by surprise. The wind rushed over the hills in all directions, making the fur along his back stand on end. When he breathed, he could see it pass right in front of his face. The tom shivered, before lowering his nose to the ground and sniffing the air currents, searching for Palewhisper's scent amongst those of the returning patrols. It would fade quickly due to the wind, so he had to find it as soon as possible.

After awhile of searching, his eyes widened when he found what he was looking for. Palewhisper's scent trail was almost gone. He knew he had to find her soon before it disappeared completely. Without even hesitating, he began to follow the scent down the face of the hills. At first, it seemed to be taking him towards the lakeshore, before suddenly, Palewhisper changed her direction, padding away towards what had once been ThunderClan's territory. The thought of her alone in the forest that haunted her nightmares only made him move more urgently.

Suddenly, a thin, white figure entered his vision, right on the path that Palewhisper's scent was taking him towards. He peered across the landscape; with the wind roaring furiously in his ears, it made him hard to concentrate, but he could make out the unmistakable shape of a cat. Was it Palewhisper?

Only one way to find out…

'Palewhisper!' he shouted, trying to make his voice heard over the noise the wind. He padded towards the figure a little nervously. 'Is that you?'

The white figure stopped moving, and turned around to face him. He could see that her eyes were blue even from the distance he was at. 'Eaglefang?' A soft, shaky voice replied.

It was Palewhisper! Eaglefang's felt relief fill him from the tip of his tail to the pads of his paws. 'Don't worry, Palewhisper!' he called out. 'I'm coming.'

The figure stopped moving as he approached, and as he got closer, he began to make out Palewhisper's familiar features. The slightly ruffled pelt, the thinness of her frame. It was unmistakably her. Eaglefang wanted to tell her how worried he'd been about her, but he also wanted to scream at her for being so foolish. _How could she just run off like that?_ he thought.

But to his surprise, the she-cat greeted him warmly when he reached her. 'Eaglefang!' she said, in a voice that could nearly be described as cheerful. 'It's good of you to join me. Such a nice day, isn't it?'

Eaglefang stared at her for a moment or two. 'What?' he said incredulously.

'Yes, it's a very nice day,' she said, appearing to answer herself. The same absent look from earlier was on her face again. 'A nice day for a walk…'

Eaglefang shook his head in disbelief. _What is she talking about? A nice day for a walk?_ he thought, a little angrily. _Doesn't she realise how much danger she put herself in?_

'Palewhisper,' he began, taking a step closer to her. 'I've been looking all over for you. Why did you leave the camp? You could've got hurt, or worse, killed!'

But the she-cat didn't seem to register what he'd said. 'I was just enjoying the weather, Eaglefang,' she murmured, staring up at the sky like it was the middle of Greenleaf. 'Aren't you too?'

Now if he wasn't angry enough at her, he definitely was now. 'Enjoying the weather?' he hissed. 'No I'm not enjoying the weather, you mouse brain. Can't you hear what I'm saying? Can't you hear what _you're_ saying _?'_

This time, Palewhisper didn't answer. She just kept staring up at the sky like she was in a completely different place. It only made Eaglefang more angry.

He stepped closer to her, his eyes alight. 'Palewhisper?'

She remained silent.

'Palewhisper, look at me.'

Still she said nothing.

'Look at me for StarClan's sake, Palewhisper!'

Still nothing-

'LOOK AT ME!'

Finally, the she-cat turned and met her furious gaze. She looked surprised. 'Eaglefang?' she said, as if she was seeing him for the first time.

The thought that she had been pretending not to notice him just infuriated Eaglefang even more. The tom reached forward, grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her several times. 'What's wrong with you Palewhisper?' he snarled. 'Snap out of it!'

Suddenly, everything went quiet. The only noise Eaglefang could hear was the roaring of the wind in his ears and the sound of his own breath, fast, angry and shallow. Palewhisper's eyes were wide in shock, and perhaps a hint of fear. He could feel her shaking against his paws.

He stared at her for a moment longer, before shaking his head. The sight of the poor, innocent she-cat looking so terrified towards _him_ calmed his anger. He loosened his grip, before lowering his voice to a mere whisper. 'I was worried about you, Palewhisper.'

The she-cat didn't say anything. Her bottom lip was trembling, like she'd just woken up from another one of her nightmares. Perhaps, in her mind, she had. Her whiskers were as still as stone. Her tail had frozen still.

She flinched a little, before looking up into his emotion filled eyes. It seemed for Palewhisper that was too much. She didn't cry, but she looked so upset that it made Eaglefang's heart _want_ to cry. He couldn't help but feel guilty that he had snapped at her. The last thing she needed was another cat treating her badly while she was suffering.

The tom touched his muzzle lightly against her forehead, but his ministrations did nothing to ease her sadness. She continued to whimper under her breath, until finally, she spoke again.

'Eaglefang…' she sniffled pitifully. 'Why did it have to be us?'

A flicker of confusion passed over him. 'What do you mean?' he said.

'I mean,' Palewhisper replied, 'why did it have to be us who survived?'

He stiffened a little when she spoke. He knew exactly what she talking about. It was something that he'd wondered himself many times in his sleep.

'We were just lucky,' he muttered. 'I guess it could've been any of us when they attacked. It just so happened that we got picked out from the crowd when the moment came.'

The she-cat snorted. 'More like unlucky. I'd rather be dead than live the rest of my life as a slave.'

To that, Eaglefang had no reply.

The two of them stayed like that for a stretch, alone on the hills. Nothing was spoken between them; there was nothing to say. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts. Eaglefang looked over the small she-cat at his paws. She was so naive, so broken. And she was right. They had been unlucky to survive, especially her. To see her own mother… slaughtered like she had been… he didn't want to think about it.

The tom glanced over his shoulder back in the direction of the camp. Both of them should definitely be getting back. If WindClan realised both of their slaves were absent from camp without being on a job, they'd start suspecting an escape, which wouldn't be good for either of them.

He turned back to Palewhisper. 'Come on,' he said slowly. 'We need to go back.'

The she-cat didn't protest. Eaglefang nodded thankfully, before leading her back the way he'd came, following the scent trail he'd left. The tom made sure to keep his pace relatively slow so that she could keep up, although in his mind he was desperate to go faster.

Palewhisper sighed, before nudging him lightly. 'Eaglefang?' she mumbled, as they walked.

'Yes.'

'I was going to tell you this earlier, but I didn't know how,' she said. 'It's about the nightmare I had last night.'

Immediately, Eaglefang turned to face her, although he didn't stop moving. 'Go on,' he gestured.

'It wasn't the same as it usually was,' she explained. 'At least, not until the end. I still saw them in the clearing, and they were still covered in blood, but when I wake up most of the time, they started to say something else.'

'Yes?' Eaglefang pressed. 'What did they say?'

She shuffled her paws, clearly unsettled, as she spoke. 'They told me that the past is drenched in blood, but the future is pale as light.' She swivelled her head to face him, her eyes fearful. 'What were they talking about? Do you know what they meant?'

Eaglefang thought about it for a moment. _The past is drenched in blood, but the future is pale as light_. The ominous words sent a shiver down his spine. He shrugged, feeling perplexed. 'I don't know, Palewhisper.' He glanced up at the horizon line. The sun was nowhere to be seen. 'It could mean anything.'

After that, the two of them said nothing more until they got back to camp.

* * *

 **Ooooooh, so the prophecy from the prologue is revealed! If you leave a review, which I'd really appreciate, I'd like to hear what you think the prophecy might mean. :)**

 **Please RR!**


	7. Chapter 6: Smoketalon

**Author's Note: So here I am, back once more with another chapter of Slaves. :P I know the updating schedule is all over the place, but your fantastic reviews are really keeping me motivated, and I'm glad to say that I've completed most of my exams now! Yay! XD**

 **Here are my replies to your reviews!**

 **Raven that flies at night: Thanks very much! Good to know you're enjoying the story.**

 **WildChild13: I'll guess you'll have to wait and see about your prophecy prediction! :) And yeah, I know there's been an** ** _awful_** **lot of setting up the characters and the setting. But I wanted to make sure I'd introduced all the important characters before I got started on the really exciting parts of the story. This is the last sort've "build up" chapter if you will, before things take off in chapter seven. Yeah, a lots going to happen in the next chapter, but in the mean time, I really hope you enjoy this one. And thanks very much for your continued support on the story! I really appreciate it. :D**

 **PopCat: Yeah, Palewhisper really is having a real hard time, right? And it took awhile for me to think up the prophecy, so thanks a lot!**

 **Grammatically Correct: Thanks so much for a really cool review! Glad to know you're impressed and your enjoying it!**

 **Foxtail of StormClan: Thanks very much, and indeed, a lot will happen between Eaglefang and Palewhisper in the future. :)**

 **Starlight's Silver Dance: Thanks so much for your amazing review! BTW, I'm really enjoying your fan fiction When Silver Meets Gold so far. XDXDXD**

 **So we return to ShadowClan in this chapter. Smoketalon and Aspenpaw aren't having a great time, but mind you, which slaves are? Ahh, I'm so cruel to my characters in this story (have I said that in an AN before? God I ramble on…). But anyways, hope you enjoy it! Please RR!**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Six:**

Smoketalon stood outside the nursery, slightly to the right of the entrance. It was early morning. The sun was only just breaking over the pine trees of ShadowClan's territory, but despite this, most of the cats in the camp were already awake. The tomcat didn't blame them. Ravenstar had promised them something special would be announced in the morning.

Aspenpaw was crouched down beside him, shivering a little. His ears were flattened against the sides of his head, and his fur was damp and bedraggled; it had rained last night, and some of the water had soaked through the roof of their den and onto his pelt. It was a shame really. Smoketalon had hoped that Aspenpaw would get a full night's sleep, since he hadn't for awhile. The apprentice usually slept in phases, often waking up in the middle of night only to fall asleep again a few moments later. He didn't have any nightmares, but the poor conditions of the slave's den, and the constant hard work they were put through in the day, weren't agreeing with him. Or Smoketalon, for that matter.

He glanced down at the apprentice, studying for a moment the messy pelt, the kinked tail, and the shivering of his muscles. _No,_ Smoketalon thought, _he certainly doesn't look great_. He tried to remember what Aspenpaw had looked like back in ThunderClan. As a warrior, he hadn't spent very much time around him. He wasn't his mentor, so there was no need, but he had vague recollections of his bouncy, excited attitude, and how he'd groomed his pelt everyday to make sure it looked neat and tidy. It suddenly occurred to him that the apprentice's nose was runny as well. Smoketalon hoped that it didn't catch into anything. Even something as innocent as a runny nose could develop into Whitecough when it was Leaf-bare.

Suddenly, Aspenpaw glanced up, noticing that Smoketalon was looking at him. Quickly, as if he was embarrassed that he'd been caught looking so low, he straightened up and licked his chest self-consciously. 'What is it?' he asked nervously.

The smallest hint of a smirk appeared around the edges of Smoketalon's face. 'Nothing,' he said innocently, before turning away from the apprentice and looking over to the other side of the clearing **.**

Almost all of ShadowClan had gathered around the leader's den for the announcement. Smoketalon had never seen the camp look so full before. He shifted uncomfortably as he glanced around at the dozens of cats. Their excited chatter rang out through the air, echoing out of the camp and into the forest. Smoketalon had always felt uncomfortable around large groups of cats- they made him feel uneasy, especially when they were ones he didn't feel kinship with. But Ravenstar had ordered that the whole of ShadowClan appeared for the announcement, and unfortunately for him and Aspenpaw, that also included them. His gaze flickered over his shoulder. Bonefur, a brutish ShadowClan tomcat, was stood there, watching him through narrowed eyes. _Just to make sure I don't try anything, I suppose,_ Smoketalon thought.

Bonefur growled when he saw Smoketalon looking at him. The slave made sure to flash his claws threateningly in return, before forcing his gaze away.

Aspenpaw nudged him lightly on the shoulder, trying to catch his attention. 'Hey,' he hissed under his breath. 'Did anyone tell you what this announcement was going to be about? No one told me.'

Smoketalon shook his head. 'No,' he replied. 'You know just about as much as I do.'

He looked over to the leader's den, where he knew Ravenstar would emerge from soon. The ShadowClan leader spent most his time out of sight, leaving Emberheart to do all the main leadership jobs. He'd never seen Ravenstar lead a patrol or show any interest in own Clan's personal affairs, like many other leaders did, and yet despite this, his power over the Clan was indisputable. Smoketalon had only met him once, but he'd seen enough cruelty and lack of remorse in that time to never want to see him again.

So what was so important that Ravenstar had to make an appearance? The tomcat glanced sideways towards the nursery. He could hear muffled voices coming from inside. _I think I can guess,_ he thought.

As if on cue, one of the nursery queens stepped out through the lichen entrance. There was a small ginger tom by her side. A kit. Smoketalon knew the queen's name- it was Poppycloud. She had been raising her single kit ever since he and Aspenpaw had arrived in ShadowClan, and now, there was no doubt in his mind about what Ravenstar's announcement was about. It seemed it was time for that kit to be apprenticed.

Aspenpaw realised what was happening a moment later than Smoketalon did. He let out a short gasp of excitement. 'An apprentice ceremony!' he exclaimed. 'I haven't seen one of those since… well, since I became one!'

Smoketalon snorted disdainfully. 'I wouldn't get too excited about it,' he muttered. 'We're not really involved.'

Aspenpaw tilted his head to one side. 'Why not?' he asked. 'We're part of ShadowClan, aren't we?'

For some reason, what the apprentice saidmade him furiously angry. He spun around to face him, the fur along his back bristling. 'No we're not partof ShadowClan!' he snapped. 'Have you forgotten where you were born?'

Aspenpaw recoiled in shock at Smoketalon's anger. He shuffled his paws awkwardly, his eyes fixed on the ground. 'I'm sorry,' he mumbled. 'It's just that ThunderClan isn't here anymore.'

Smoketalon stared at him for a moment, breathing in and out heavily. Regret tugged at him like a thorn in his side. He wanted to tell the apprentice he hadn't meant to snap, but he was too proud to say he didn't mean it.

In the end, he just snorted. 'Whatever.'

Suddenly, he heard the ShadowClan cat's voices increase in volume. His ears pricked up, listening in on what they were saying.

'There he is!' one of the cats nearby him said. 'What took him so long?'

'I know right? It's well past morning.'

Smoketalon turned his head, following the ShadowClan cats' gaze. When he saw what they were looking at, he froze on the spot. Standing just outside his den, with his icy blue eyes scanning over the crowd of cats, was Ravenstar. The leader stood still for awhile, motionless, before finally raising his tail.

The effect of the gesture was immediate. Everyone in the camp went quiet. That was all it took for him to silence the crowd. It was complete and absolute control. Smoketalon glanced around at the cats around him. Some of them had their heads bowed with respect, whereas others just stared straight forward. A few of them looked almost scared.

The ShadowClan leader stepped forward, before addressing the Clan with a voice as cold as Leaf-bare. 'We are gathered here today to witness the naming of ShadowClan's newest apprentice,' he said calmly. 'Would Tanglekit please step forward.'

The kit looked up as Ravenstar spoke his name. His eyes, although still full of enthusiasm, gave away how nervous he was. He hesitated, just as he was about to step forward. Slowly, Poppycloud leaned down and whispered some words of encouragement into his ear. The kit nodded, before padding across the clearing towards the leader's den. All the while, Ravenstar watched, his eyes emotionless.

When Tanglekit reached him, Ravenstar bent down so that he was level with the kit. Smoketalon couldn't see his face, but he imagined that the kit was afraid. He could taste fear scent in the air, although he wasn't sure whether it was just from the kit. _Isn't an apprentice ceremony meant to be a happy occasion?_ he thought. _Not even Poppycloud looks very pleased about it._

'Tanglekit,' Ravenstar, said addressing the whole Clan, 'you have reached the age of six moons, and therefore it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Tanglepaw. Your mentor will be Duskwing. I hope Duskwing will pass down everything she has learnt to you.'

He nodded to the russet coloured she-cat, calling her forward. She padded over, composed and unsurprised. She'd obviously been informed she was going to be Tanglekit's mentor beforehand.

'Duskwing,' Ravenstar continued, 'you received excellent training from Cedarheart, and you have shown yourself to be both loyal and courageous. You will be the mentor of Tanglepaw, and I expect you to teach all you know to him in turn.'

Duskwing smiled a little at his praise, before touching her muzzle gently against Tanglepaw's. His amber eyes were full with eagerness. Slowly, the Clan around them began to chant his new name, and the first glimmers of happiness for the new apprentice started to show. The chant got louder and louder, with Poppycloud cheering the loudest.

'Tanglepaw! Tanglepaw! Tanglepaw!'

Aspenpaw opened his mouth to join in, but Smoketalon flicked his tail quickly over the apprentice's mouth. 'Don't even think about it,' the black tom growled. 'Remember, we're not a part of this.'

Aspenpaw's eyes contracted, betraying his annoyance, but he didn't say a word.

After the ceremony had finished, the crowd began to disperse. Tanglepaw bounced back over to his mother, who greeted him with a shower of affectionate licks. Now that Ravenstar had finished speaking, the spell of silence appeared to have been broken. The leader watched his Clan carefully for a few seconds longer, before padding back into the shadowy confines of his den. Smoketalon wondered when the next time he'd see Ravenstar would be. Something told him it would be awhile.

'Come on,' he grunted to Aspenpaw, 'let's go back to our den.'

Slowly, he began to pad back in the direction of the slave's den. Aspenpaw followed him, albeit reluctantly, but they'd only got half way when a familiar voice called out his name.

'Smoketalon!'

The tomcat stopped dead in his tracks. The familiar voice reignited a fire of pain, hurt and anger in his heart. Stiffly, he turned back around to see Emberheart, the ShadowClan deputy, padding towards him. His pelt was well groomed and glossy in the shallow Leafbare light. _Murderer,_ Smoketalon snarled in his mind. _Don't think I've forgotten what you did to my brother._

He glared furiously at the deputy as he approached. Emberheart glanced his way for a moment, but then their eyes met, he looked away. Smoketalon couldn't interpret the expression on his face, but he hoped that the deputy was as terrified of him as the whole of ShadowClan was of Ravenstar. _Come on,_ Smoketalon thought, his claws itching inside their sheathes, _look at me you coward._

But Emberheart didn't spare him a second glance, instead choosing to focus his attention on Aspenpaw. A feeling of triumph, but equal disgust, washed over him. The tom was ashamed to look at him!

'You,' Emberheart murmured, facing Aspenpaw. 'I want you to go and make Tanglepaw's new nest.' A look of annoyance flashed in his eyes. 'I did tell Wolfpaw to go and make it earlier, but it seems he hasn't done it.'

Aspenpaw's gaze flickered over to Smoketalon. He was wondering why he'd been told to do it instead of his older counterpart, but when the apprentice received no answer, he nodded doubtfully. 'Yes Emberheart,' he said. 'I'll do that right away.'

After Aspenpaw had padded away, Emberheart finally looked up towards Smoketalon. He didn't seem surprised at the undisguised venom in the slave's face. 'And you,' he said, 'can go and collect some fresh-kill for Ivynose. Now that Poppycloud has left the nursery, she'll be all alone in there.'

But Smoketalon stayed exactly where he was, unmoving. His eyes were narrowed down to angry slits.

After a moments pause, Emberheart stepped forward, his teeth bared. They were sharp and pointed. 'You wouldn't disobey a direct order, would you?'

'Why not?' Smoketalon retorted. 'It sounded like that apprentice did.'

'Now listen here,' the deputy hissed viciously. 'If you don't do exactly what I say, I'll make sure the punishment is so harsh that you'd never even think of disobeying me again. Understood?'

Smoketalon felt a wave of surprise wash over him. He'd never seen Emberheart get so angry before. The ginger tom was glaring at him, pure ferocity clear on his face. He was panting heavily, like something inside him exploded. Maybe it hadn't been the first time somebody had defied Emberheart so openly, after all, it seemed that Wolfpaw hadn't had much respect for him. What about the rest of the Clan?

Either way, the thought that'd he managed to get under Emberheart's pelt so easily made him smirk.

But only a few seconds later, the deputy began to calm down. His breathing slowed, and he shuffled his paws a little awkwardly. 'Just-' he hesitated. 'Just do it, okay?'

Smoketalon looked deep into Emberheart's eyes, trying to find out what he was thinking, but their emerald depths betrayed no secrets. He considered refusing to obey him again, but there wasn't much point. It had been so easy to rile him up, so what was the fun in continuing? Smoketalon wanted to play with his prey first, before he played out his true revenge.

'Fine,' the slave replied sarcastically. 'I will, great deputy Emberheart.'

Emberheart opened his mouth, ready to say something more, but Smoketalon was already padding away. The cruel smile on his face only grew wider as imagined the look on the deputy's face. _He's weak,_ the tom thought, _he's weak and I'm strong. One day, I'll show him the price that murderers have to pay._

Ignoring the disapproving, hostile looks he received on the way to the fresh kill pile (he had grown used to it by now), Smoketalon selected a generously large frog for Ivynose and started to carry it back over to the nursery. It was very nice looking considering the season- ShadowClan wouldn't be getting anything better than it over the course of Leaf-bare. He glanced up at the sky. Whatever sun had previously been shining had been covered up by a thick layer of clouds.

The nursery was slightly better concealed from the rest of the camp than some of the other dens were. In ThunderClan, it had been the same, just in case of an attack. Smoketalon snorted. Evidently, it hadn't worked very well for them. He leaned forward, trying to see inside the den's shadowy interior. He could smell his and Aspenpaw's scent from earlier, as well as that of hundreds of other queens and kits, overlaid most strongly with the comforting aroma of milk. Smoketalon breathed in deeply. The milky smell soothed his raging emotions, reminding him of the days he'd spent at his mother's belly. And, consequently, of Beechfoot.

The tom exhaled. _No. Don't think about him_ , he thought, before padding into the den.

It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness. He blinked rapidly, before colours returned to his eyes as he looked around at the inside of the den. It felt strangely empty, as if it was missing something. There was a space where one of the nests had been cleared out; he assumed it had belonged to Poppycloud.

'Nightwhisper?' a voice called out. 'Is that you?'

Smoketalon turned his head in the direction the voice had come from. Sitting in the corner, curled up in another one of the nests, was the figure of a she-cat. Her pelt, a dark colour that seemed to have been absorbed in the gloom, must've been either brown or grey. She was peering at him, confused. _Nightwhisper?_ he thought. _The ShadowClan warrior?_

It took him a moment to realise that the she-cat had mistaken him for another cat. He rolled his eyes, guessing that she would be moving to the elders soon if she couldn't tell his scent apart from one of her own Clan-mates.

'No,' he grunted coldly. 'It's not Nightwhisper.'

She tilted her head back, surprised. 'Really?' she said, chuckling a little. 'Oh, well then it must be you Ravenstar. You and your brother always did look so alike.'

Smoketalon scoffed. _StarClan, she must have bees in her brain._

He was just about to tell her that he wasn't either of the cats she'd mentioned, but the she-cat ploughed on before he could. 'I must say, I wasn't expecting you to come and visit me, Ravenstar.' She laughed again, although a little bitterly this time. 'Sometimes, it feels like you've forgotten that I'm your mother.'

Instantly, Smoketalon's ear twitched with interest. _So this_ _is Ravenstar and Nightwhisper's mother?_ he thought. _I knew they were brothers, but…_ He looked her up and down, finding it a little hard to believe that a cat who looked so frail could have given birth to a cat like Ravenstar. _I'm guessing this is Ivynose._

Smoketalon stepped forward, feeling a little more wary. 'I'm sorry,' he said, 'but I'm not Ravenstar, or Nightwhisper. Emberheart sent me to give you some prey.'

The she-cat went silent. Smoketalon could see the disappointed glint in her eyes. 'Oh,' she murmured. 'I'm sorry.'

For a moment, Smoketalon went quiet too. There was an unmistakable loneliness in Ivynose's hunched over posture, and her raspy old voice. He didn't feel sorry for her, but he couldn't help but feel a little respect. Even if she was from ShadowClan.

Eventually, the she-cat shook her head and straightened up, breaking the silence. 'So who _are_ you?' she asked, exasperated. 'I don't think I've seen you before.'

At the question, Smoketalon felt his shoulders stiffen. 'I'm new here,' he replied.

'New here?'

'Yes.'

'What do you mean by new?' she pressed, a little suspiciously. 'Ravenstar doesn't take in strays.'

Smoketalon felt a glimmer of annoyance at her failure to take up the hint. 'No, but I'm not a stray. I'm from another one of the Clans.'

At this, Ivynose nodded in understanding. 'I see,' she said. 'And you say Emberheart sent you?'

Smoketalon was surprised at how easily she passed off the fact that he was a slave. There was no prejudice, hostility or spite in her voice. Just a calm acceptance.

'Yes,' Smoketalon muttered. He padded forward and dropped the frog at her paws. 'He ordered me to collect you some prey.'

'You don't sound very pleased about it.'

'Would you be if your- if your _masters-_ were the cats who destroyed your Clan?' he spat challengingly.

Ivynose's eyes narrowed. 'No,' she answered. 'I guess not.'

The she-cat looked down at her paws, where Smoketalon had dropped the frog. She picked at it half-heartedly. 'This is for me?'

'Yes,' Smoketalon said, equally as unenthusiastic. He stared at it for a moment, realising suddenly just how hungry he was. He licked his chops slowly.

'I don't want it,' Ivynose muttered, pushing it away. 'I'm not hungry.'

Smoketalon looked at her, thoroughly unconvinced. _Ungrateful she-cat,_ he thought. _Some cats have the decency not to refuse prey when it's offered to them in Leafbare._

But somehow, the tom got the feeling that Emberheart wouldn't take "she wasn't hungry" as an excuse. He rolled the frog back towards her. 'I'm sorry,' he said, not sounding in the least apologetic. 'Emberheart sounded worried..'

'Well, you can tell Emberheart that I may be old, but I haven't retired to the elder's den just yet,' she snapped. 'I'm perfectly capable of getting my own prey.'

The smallest of grins appeared on the edges of Smoketalon's face. 'Clearly,' he remarked, tossing the frog to one side. 'I'll tell him that.'

Ivynose snorted. 'Oh, you should.'

The jet-black tom was just about to turn around and leave, feeling unusually satisfied, when Ivynose's voice echoed out once more. 'Even if I'm not hungry, StarClan wouldn't approve if such an appetising frog went to waste,' she uttered mildly. 'Perhaps you'd like it.'

Smoketalon stopped, a wave of shock passing over him. He turned around to face her again. 'Did you just offer me food?'

'Indeed I did,' Ivynose replied. She was looking at him curiously. 'Unless you don't want it.'

'No,' he said quickly. He glanced over towards where the body of the frog lay. 'It's just that it's not normal a slave is offered food.'

Ivynose din't reply for a moment, before she finally opened her mouth. 'Look, I wouldn't take it for heartfelt sentiment,' she rasped. 'Just a token of appreciation for giving me an interesting conversation. Something like that doesn't come around too much anymore.'

Smoketalon nodded immediately. _She doesn't want me to go because she wants someone to talk to,_ he realised. _She really must be lonely._

But either way, he wasn't going to pass on an invitation to eat when it came along. Quickly, the tomcat bent over and took the frog in his mouth, chewing it rapidly. It tasted somewhat sour in his mouth. He wasn't used to frogs after a lifetime of eating forest prey back in ThunderClan, but it was prey none the less. Within seconds, he'd eaten the whole thing.

He thought he heard a hint of a purr from Ivynose as the frog's webbed foot disappeared down his gullet. 'There you go,' she said. 'ShadowClan prey isn't too bad, is it?'

'I guess not,' Smoketalon replied. He wiped his mouth with his paw, enjoying the taste of the prey on his tongue. 'Thank you.'

She shook her head. 'It's no problem.'

Smoketalon twitched his tail, before getting to his paws and padding over to the entrance of the den. He twisted his head to look at her when he reached it. 'You know, I guess that wasn't the worst job I've ever had to do,' he admitted, although grudgingly.

Ivynose chuckled. 'I bet you it wasn't.' She said. 'If I ever need anything done, I'll make sure to ask for you.'

The slave shrugged. He started to pad out into the camp, but Ivynose stopped him for the third time.

'You know, I'm not surprised I mistook you for Ravenstar and Nightwhisper,' she stated matter of factly. 'You do look an awful lot like them.'

Smoketalon raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure whether what she'd said was a compliment or not. He tapped the tip of one of his claws against the ground. There was something in her face which told him she was thinking about something deep. Something personal. Something that had happened long ago.

'Whatever,' he grumbled, before ducking away from Ivynose's uncomfortable gaze.

The camp wasn't as full as before. Hardly any of the warriors were present, so Smoketalon assumed they were all out on patrols. _Aspenpaw should have finished making Tanglepaw's nest by now,_ he thought. _I should go and_ _find him._

Slowly, he made his way over to the apprentice's den, where he knew Aspenpaw had gone to after he'd left him and Emberheart. There was a hint of the grey tom's scent in the air. Faded, but unmistakably his. Smoketalon wondered whether Aspenpaw had already gone back to the slave's den. It seemed likely. After all, it didn't take that long to make someone's nest.

He was just about to head back to the slave's den, when suddenly, he heard voices from inside the apprentice's den. One of them he didn't recognise, but it was clearly a young voice, possibly Tanglepaw's. The other he knew instantly was Aspenpaw's. Smoketalon listened in, trying to make out what they were saying. It sounded shrill, high and oddly lively. He tilted his head back when he realised what they were doing. They were laughing!

Quickly, he ducked into the den. His eyes widened in shock at what he saw.

Aspenpaw was sat down, his paw's tucked neatly underneath his flank. Tanglepaw was stood just above him, his head held back in laughter. Aspenpaw was chuckling too. There was a twinkle in the two of their eyes when they looked at each other, as if they were friends that had known each other all their lives.

They froze instinctively when Smoketalon walked in. Aspenpaw stared at his fellow slave for a moment, before he stood up awkwardly, his tail between his legs.

'Hey Smoketalon,' he stammered. 'I- I didn't see you there.'

Smoketalon looked from him, to Aspenpaw, and then back again. The ShadowClan's apprentices dark ginger fur was ruffled and untidy. There was a lazy smile on his face, but he too looked uncomfortable.

A hot wave of anger filled him from head to toe. Smoketalon felt like he had been betrayed. _Tanglepaw_ _is one of them!_ he thought angrily. _How can Aspenpaw act like a friend around him?_

He glared at Aspenpaw, before gesturing towards the exit of the apprentice's den. 'Come on,' he growled. 'We're leaving.'

The grey apprentice nodded without hesitation. The tom padded forward to follow Smoketalon out, but just before he did, he turned back to Tanglepaw and smiled. 'That was really fun, Tanglepaw,' he said softly. 'We can chat again, right?'

Tanglepaw grinned happily. 'Anytime!'

The hair along Smoketalon's back crawled in disgust. 'Get moving,' he hissed.

Aspenpaw's body seemed to shrink. He dashed out of the den without another word. Smoketalon stared at the apprentice icily, but he didn't speak, not with some the ShadowClan cats watching. Instead, he led him swiftly back to the slave's den. Aspenpaw's shoulders were hunched over, like a kit preparing himself for a telling off.

As soon as they got inside, Smoketalon rounded on him, eyes full of fury. 'What in StarClan's name was that?' he snarled.

Aspenpaw shrunk down even lower. 'I'm sorry!' he exclaimed pitifully. 'Tanglepaw and Iwere just talking!'

'Yeah, talking like you were best friends,' Smoketalon snarled coldly. He remembered what he'd told the apprentice earlier, about not being part of ShadowClan. Clearly, he either hadn't understood him, or just hadn't listened.

'What did I say at the ceremony in the morning?' he asked, trying desperately to keep his voice calm and level. 'What did I say about us and ShadowClan? Don't you remember where we were born? Don't you remember your old Clan?'

'Yes,' Aspenpaw moaned, rocking on his tail guiltily.

'Then why were you acting like that?' Smoketalon said, throwing his paws back in exasperation. 'You're not Tanglepaw's Clanmate.'

'I know,' Aspenpaw replied. 'But even if I'm a slave, why does that mean I can't be friends with _anyone?_ I miss having friends. I miss taking to cats.'

'You have me,' Smoketalon retorted. 'Isn't that enough?'

'Of course!' Aspenpaw said. 'You're… you're more than a friend Smoketalon. You protected me on the night of the attack. You protected me when we first became slaves. But I'm still lonely Smoketalon! I miss feeling that kinship to everyone, that bond that linked us all together. Don't you?'

Smoketalon felt pity fill his heart. 'Of course I do,' he whispered, lowering himself down to Aspenpaw's height. 'But don't you see that ShadowClan is the reason why we lost everything? How can you possibly be friends with the cats who destroyed everything you had?'

Aspenpaw didn't answer that one. His eyes were watery.

The black tom dipped his head. 'Can you at least say that you're not part of ShadowClan?' he asked quietly. 'Can you at least promise me you haven't forgotten what they did to us?'

When Aspenpaw didn't answer again, Smoketalon raised his voice a little. 'Come on, Aspenpaw,' he said. 'I'm not asking for that much.'

The apprentice muttered something under his breath.

'What?'

Finally, Aspenpaw raised his head. 'I promise.'

* * *

 **So there's the end of Chapter Six! Word count for this chappie: 4,939 words! Also, can you believe I've broken bloody 30,000 words already?! O_O**

 **Please review! Reviews keep me motivated!**


	8. Chapter 7: Sageclaw

**Author's Note: So here I am, back once more with another chapter of Slaves. :P I know the updating schedule is all over the place, but your fantastic reviews are really keeping me motivated, and I'm glad to say that I've completed most of my exams now! Yay! XD**

 **Here are my replies to your reviews!**

 **Raven that flies at night: Thanks very much! Good to know you're enjoying the story.**

 **WildChild13: I'll guess you'll have to wait and see about your prophecy prediction! :) And yeah, I know there's been an** ** _awful_** **lot of setting up the characters and the setting. But I wanted to make sure I'd introduced all the important characters before I got started on the really exciting parts of the story. This is the last sort've "build up" chapter if you will, before things take off in chapter seven. Yeah, a lots going to happen in the next chapter, but in the mean time, I really hope you enjoy this one. And thanks very much for your continued support on the story! I really appreciate it. :D**

 **PopCat: Yeah, Palewhisper really is having a real hard time, right? And it took awhile for me to think up the prophecy, so thanks a lot!**

 **Grammatically Correct: Thanks so much for a really cool review! Glad to know you're impressed and your enjoying it!**

 **Foxtail of StormClan: Thanks very much, and indeed, a lot will happen between Eaglefang and Palewhisper in the future. :)**

 **Starlight's Silver Dance: Thanks so much for your amazing review! BTW, I'm really enjoying your fan fiction When Silver Meets Gold so far. XDXDXD**

 **So we return to ShadowClan in this chapter. Smoketalon and Aspenpaw aren't having a great time, but mind you, which slaves are? Ahh, I'm so cruel to my characters in this story (have I said that in an AN before? God I ramble on…). But anyways, hope you enjoy it! Please RR!**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Seven:**

The vole stopped sniffing at the berries as Sageclaw approached. His shoulders were bunched closely together, brow furrowed in concentration. This was the first vole Sageclaw had seen in days, and he didn't intend to let it slip through his paws. It looked stringy and malnourished, but it made no difference. _I have to catch this_ , the tom thought gravely. _I didn't manage to catch three_ _pieces of prey yesterday._

Slowly, he shifted his bodyweight so that he was facing the prey head on. The vole sniffed, before turning it's back on Sageclaw and facing the berry again, revealing it's neck. This was his chance. Sageclaw leapt forward, sinking his teeth into the vole's flesh. It's body went still and lifeless in his jaws. The lack of movement told the tom the hunt was over.

Sageclaw didn't get any satisfaction out of the kill. After all, it wasn't his Clan that he was feeding. Quickly, he dug up a small pile of earth and buried the vole's body, making sure to take a mental note of the hole's position so he could collect it later. The tom glanced back in the direction he'd come from, where he'd caught the other two pieces of prey. It was a wonder he was still managing to meet the hunting targets Shellstorm had set him and Foxflame, even after they'd been lowered. The amount of forest prey amongst the streams of RiverClan's territory were dwindling precariously; it didn't help that he couldn't catch fish, either.

Sageclaw grunted, before scraping the few piles of soil he'd dug up over the vole. He remembered where his patrol had told him to meet them after he'd caught all the necessary prey, upstream from the camp by the WindClan border. They had to take the prey that WindClan had caught for them in ThunderClan's territory. Sageclaw's whiskers twitched a little with anxiety. He'd never been on one of the patrols which collected the prey from WindClan before, but Foxflame had told him that it wasn't fun. Apparently, the encounter nearly always ended with an argument of some kind. Sageclaw didn't blame WindClan for being uptight over how much prey they gave away. It was Leafbare, after all. Prey was always scarce.

A cold wing rushed through the trees, making his fur rise. He shivered, before padding away from his kill towards the WindClan border. The tom breathed in, making sure there were no other prey scents in the area as he left. It wouldn't hurt to catch more than was expected from him. Unsurprisingly, there wasn't any.

As he walked, Sageclaw started to take his mind off hunting. He thought about how tense things were beginning to get, not just inside the RiverClan camp, but outside as well. More often than not patrols returned to camp with reports of hostility amongst the other two Clan's patrols, which never went down well with Shellstorm. But Sageclaw had been most taken back at the attitudes between Clan-mates within RiverClan. It was almost a common occurrence to see the warriors argue with each other, something which, Sageclaw often noted, wouldn't have happened in ThunderClan. Or at least, he preferred to remember not happening in ThunderClan. Perhaps it had been just the same in his birth Clan, but he had glazed over the memories he preferred to forget.

There had been a noticeable, and slightly worrying, change in Foxflame. Somehow, Sageclaw had suspected that Leaf-bare wouldn't agree with the dark ginger she-cat, and he'd been proven correct. She becoming more frustrated and agitated with her life as a slave by the day, and Sageclaw didn't blame her. But despite how much she annoyed him in return, he still worried about her. He didn't want the she-cat to get herself into trouble.

Suddenly, the scents of Sageclaw's patrol hit his nostrils. Quickly, he shook himself, trying to push away the unwanted thoughts. The patrol, led by Rowanleap looked impatient. Beetlenose and his apprentice, Troutpaw were also there, a small pile of fish at their paws. They'd been hunting, and they seemed just as tired out as he was.

'There you are,' Rowanleap said disapprovingly, as Sageclaw approached. He glanced downwards, and saw that his paws empty. 'Don't tell me you didn't catch anything.'

'Of course I did,' Sageclaw replied, his eyes narrowing a little. 'They're buried back where I caught them. We can collect them on the way back.'

Rowanleap looked him up and down disbelievingly, as did Beetlenose. Sageclaw glared back. He wasn't going to let the patrol leader intimidate him. The RiverClan cat was just being unreasonable.

Eventually, Rowanleap snorted. 'Alright slave,' he muttered, pointedly turning his back on him. 'Let's go and collect this prey.'

Sageclaw gnashed his teeth angrily as he followed the patrol closer to the WindClan border. _I'm sick of all this stupid suspicion!_ he snarled in his mind. _I've been here for moons. They should a least trust me a little bit by now._

The thought almost stopped Sageclaw right in his tracks. He had never considered that before. _Have I really been for moons?_ he thought. He'd arrived in late Greenleaf, just before Leaf-fall had begun. That meant he'd been imprisoned as a slave inside RiverClan for two moons now. Sageclaw felt a prickle of sadness inside him. How much longer would he be a slave for?

A tail brushed against his chest, gesturing for him to stop. He looked up to see that it was Beetlenose's tail. The black tom had gone quite still, as had Troutpaw beside him. Rowanleap had, apparently told them to stop. His eyes were fixed on something in the distance. Sageclaw followed his gaze, and instantly, he too stiffened.

It was the WindClan patrol. They were waiting for them at the border. He didn't recognise all of them, but he'd met the leader of the patrol, Morningflight, at Gatherings previously. He hadn't liked her then, be he most certainly didn't the like the way she was looking at them. Even from a distance Sageclaw could see the aggression in her posture in both her and the rest of the patrol.

Rowanleap stayed silent for a moment, before finally, his right ear twitched, and they started to approach the border. Sageclaw made sure to trail behind at the back, reluctant to get involved. As they got closer, the tom started to make out the shapes of fresh kill in their jaws. Clearly, they hadn't had much luck out hunting. It looked just as unappetising as the vole that he'd caught earlier.

'Morningflight,' Rowanleap greeted cooly as they reached the patrol.

'Rowanleap,' she nodded in return. There was an unbearable tension in the air, as thick as a cloud of smoke. Sageclaw kneaded the ground nervously. Quickly, he looked through the cats on the opposite of the border, seeing if there was either Eaglefang or Palewhisper were there. To his disappointment they weren't.

Rowanleap seemed eager to dispose of the formalities quickly. 'Let's get straight to business,' he said, although Morningflight didn't look too approving. 'How much prey are you offering us?'

For a moment, neither Morningflight nor anyone else on the patrol moved. Sageclaw thought that she might refuse to hand over any prey at all, but then, reluctantly, she signalled for her clan-mates to bring the fresh kill forward. One of the warriors, a brown tom, padded forward and dropped a mouse, a shrew on a measly robin at Rowanleap's paws.

Sageclaw waited for him to put down the rest, but instead, the tom turned around and padded back to his patrol. He assumed that the other WindClan cats would give them some as well, but they all stayed still.

Beetlenose stared at the three pieces of prey, as if he couldn't believe what they'd just been given. 'That's it?' he exclaimed. 'Three pieces of prey?'

Morningflight turned to him, her eyes cold. 'That was all we caught,' she snapped.

'What, between a patrol of four cats?' Rowanleap growled. 'You fox-hearted liar!'

Whatever shared politeness the WindClan patrol might've been showing evaporated. The brown tom who'd given them the prey leapt up in fury, and Morningflight unsheathed her claws. Sageclaw winced. _WindClan do have some nerve to give RiverClan so little,_ he thought, _but Rowanleap could've at least been a bit subtle about it._

'You ungrateful fish-brains!' Morningflight yowled. 'We spend our hunting time catching prey for you, and you don't even show a morsel of gratitude?'

'Why would we when you have such a pathetic amount to show for it?' Beetlenose hissed. 'There's plenty there that you've kept for yourself. Where did you catch that?'

Morningflight's expression turned sour. 'We caught it on _our_ territory,' she said dangerously.

Sageclaw's eyes widened. _What does she mean by that?_ he thought. _She could've meant that they'd caught the prey on the moors, but it sounded like she was saying that ThunderClan's territory belonged solely to them!_

Rowanleap sensed the hidden meaning behind Morningflight's words as well. He stepped forward until he was nose to nose with Morningflight, with his teeth bared. 'I don't know what kind've bone you have to pick with RiverClan,' he whispered threateningly, 'but whatever is, you can tell Gorsestar he's making a big mistake. We are not your enemy.'

'Oh really?' Morningflight retorted. 'Well you can tell _Streamstar_ that we are perfectly aware of her Clan's intrusions into our territory, and we're not going to take it lightly!'

Now, Rowanleap just looked outraged. 'What?' he shouted.

'We've picked up your scent,' one of the WindClan warriors snarled, 'everyday inside of our border. Often, you leave stinking of prey. Why should we give up our catch when you seem to think it's fine to steal it?'

Rowanleap looked at Morningflight incredulously. 'We have done no such thing,' he insisted. 'Whoever smelt this scent must've mistaken it for a rogue.'

'WindClan's warriors know what is RiverClan scent and what is not,' Morningflight spat. 'We also seem to know the warrior code a lot better than you do.'

Rowanleap just shook his head. 'We not going to stand for these ridiculous accusations,' he said, back away from Morningflight and onto his side of the border. 'There is a not a word of truth in any of them.'

Morningflight glared daggers at him. 'Evidence suggests otherwise.'

For a moment, everything went silent. Sageclaw couldn't believe how quickly things between the two patrols had elevated, neither had he known that things were as bad between the two Clans as they were. One Clan catching prey for another was an idea that had been bound to cause problems, but the level of aggression in the WindClan patrol's voices shocked him.

Eventually, Rowanleap looked away. 'Come,' he snapped to his patrol, padding away. 'We're going back to camp.' As he passed Sageclaw, his voice became icier. 'Bring the prey, slave!'

Without hesitation, Sageclaw nodded. 'Yes sir,' he said quickly. The tom picked up the fresh kill, before dashing after the patrol heading back into RiverClan's territory. Just before they disappeared, Sageclaw glanced over his shoulder, back towards the border. The WindClan border were watching them go, their pelts bristling with hostility.

The rest of the journey back was spent in an unnerving silence. The ThunderClan tom could see from Rowanleap's hunched over shoulders that he was seething with rage. Beetlenose and Troutpaw looked much the same, and if he was perfectly honest, Sageclaw didn't blame them. As much as he disliked both RiverClan and WindClan, he knew that Morningflight's claim that cats had been intruding on their territory was purely fabricated. Neither Shellstorm or Streamstar had ordered anyone to hunt outside of RiverClan's borders. Sageclaw knew that better than anyone; he'd been on almost every one of those hunting patrols. But the WindClan cats had seemed so convinced, and they'd even mentioned that they had evidence! What sort've of evidence?

As soon as they padded into the camp, Rowanleap headed straight for Shellstorm. The massive silver tabby was lounging underneath the shade of his leader's den, enjoying the company of his senior warriors. His mate, Reedshade, wasn't there. Sageclaw remembered the last time he'd talked to Reedshade, when the deputy had ordered him to collect moss for her nest. Shellstorm had seemed surprisingly soft and gentle towards the attractive she-cat. But, it seemed he wasn't going to show that particular attitude to RiverClan. As soon as Rowanleap told him what happened out on the patrol, the tom's face filled with anger. The other senior warriors raised their heads, sensing Shellstorm's expression, which in turn caught the attention of the other warriors scattered around the clearing. Shellstorm got to his paws and questioned Rowanleap for a few seconds longer, before twisting around and padding towards the entrance to the leader's den.

But before he could enter, one of the warriors, Lilypelt, called out. 'Hey! What's wrong?'

'Yeah, did something happen out on patrol?'

'I bet you WindClan were causing trouble again.'

Shellstorm glanced towards his leader's den again, as if conflicted between telling his clan-mates the truth before his leader. Sageclaw watched him carefully. _It would be disrespectful not to prioritise his leader,_ he thought. _Not that he has respect for anyone except himself._

And Sageclaw was proven right when the deputy stood up to his full height, addressing the Clan below him. 'Cats of RiverClan!' he announced. 'WindClan have been making accusations!'

Sounds of shock passed over the crowd beneath. 'About what?'

Shellstorm looked sideways at Rowanleap, who nodded, reassuring the deputy that the claims were true. 'Prey stealing,' Shellstorm hissed. 'They've accused us of prey stealing.'

The sounds of shock turned into caterwauls of fury. 'What?' A senior warrior, Dappleheart, shouted. 'How dare they!'

'I know,' Beetlenose said, disgusted. He reached out and took the prey from Sageclaw, before laying it out so the whole Clan could see it. 'And not only that, this was how much prey they gave us in return.'

The yowls of protest continued. Cats started to stand up and unsheathe claws, hurling insults towards the sky. Shellstorm watched over it all. There was a strange, cruel glint in his eyes, a kind of bloodlust that made Sageclaw's pelt stand on end.

'We should attack them right now!'

'Yeah, we should show them that RiverClan aren't to be messed with.'

The glint in Shellstorm only became clearer, and Sageclaw's horror increased. _They're talking about attacking!_ he thought. _They haven't even spoken to their leader yet!_

'Silence!'

The voice echoed through the clearing, making all the cats in RiverClan turn their head. The yowls of anger stopped, giving way to an awkward silence. Shellstorm spun around, only to come face to face with Streamstar, emerging from her den. The silver she-cat's blue eyes glimmered in the sun, reflecting into Sageclaw's eyes. She sat down on her haunches, looking over her Clan coldly, daring them to continue their chants. No cat said a word.

After the she-cat was satisfied that she'd gained her Clan's attention, she met Shellstorm's piercing gaze. 'Well, Shellstorm?' she asked frostily. 'What was the meaning of all that?'

The deputy continued to glare. He looked reluctant to speak, and perhaps a little angry that his rally against RiverClan had been halted. Sageclaw was beginning to think he might not answer her, but then, his ear twitched.

'I was just explaining to the Clan about what took place on Rowanleap's patrol,' he said slowly.

'And what was it that took place?'

'It was about the prey collection from WindClan,' Shellstorm muttered. 'You know what they've been like recently, snapping at our patrols, getting worked up about stupid things-'

'Get to the point,' Streamstar said impatiently.

Shellstorm stayed where he was for a moment, before gesturing for Rowanleap to explain what happened. The patrol leader stepped forward confidently. 'They said that we were prey stealers, Streamstar,' he explained. 'They said that they'd smelt our scent on WindClan territory, and that we were stealing prey.'

Streamstar didn't say anything for awhile as she processed the information. She looked surprised that WindClan had made the accusation they had, but confused as well, like she was trying to think of a way that they could've, somehow, smelt RiverClan scent on their territory. _At least she's taking things into consideration,_ Sageclaw thought, relieved, _unlike her deputy._

'And how much prey did we receive in the end?' sheasked, after the pause.

Beetlenose nudged the fresh-kill they'd been given forward. 'This was it,' he said.

She frowned at the prey in front of her. 'Only three pieces?'

'Yes!' Troutpaw piped up. 'It's unacceptable.'

'It's more than unacceptable,' one of the warriors called out, 'it's inexcusable!'

At this, all the cats began to yowl and shout again, making sure that their leader heard a piece of their mind. Streamstar allowed them to for a little, taking in some of her clan-mates' opinions, but when the suggestion of attacking came up again, she stood up.

'Enough,' she snapped, her voice taking on a cold tone once more. 'Attacking WindClan is by no means an honourable or wise decision. One sign of hostility does not legislate a war, however…' she turned her head to Shellstorm, 'these are very serious allegations. I don't see what Gorsestar thinks his Clan would gain from a fight in the middle of Leaf-bare, unless of course,' she tilted her head to one side, 'the claims they've made have an element of truth.'

Of course, it sounded like a statement, but it was in actual fact a question. Streamstar was asking her Clan if they had anything to tell her about, any intrusions that they thought might've gone unnoticed. Overall, they replied with a resounding shake of the head, denying that WindClan may have been telling the truth, but Shellstorm, Sageclaw noticed, remained unmoving.

'Good,' Streamstar said. 'Now, we don't want to provoke WindClan by putting extra patrols along the border, but we must be on our guard. From now on, every border patrol must have at least five cats upon on it, with a limit of one apprentice or slave each.' She nodded at her deputy. 'I'll expect you to organise that.'

Shellstorm nodded in return. The violent glint in his eyes had disappeared. 'Of course, Streamstar.'

After the announcement had finished, the RiverClan cats began to file away. Many of them went back into their dens, but a few of them stayed outside, chatting nervously about what had just transpired. Sageclaw was glad that Streamstar had dealt with the situation so efficiently, but he could see that many of the warriors weren't happy. They hadn't wanted to be cautious. All they wanted was to attack the nearest WindClan cats nearby.

Sageclaw had just been about to go back to the slave's den, hoping to find Foxflame, when a disgruntled voice made him stop. 'And just where do you think you're going?'

The tom sighed. _I just want to take a rest, for StarClan's sake!_ He looked over his shoulder to see Beetlenose padding over to him. Clearly he had been one of the warriors who hadn't liked Streamstar's more peaceful approach to WindClan's hostility.

'I was just going back to my den,' Sageclaw began, when Beetlenose reached. 'I've finished all my hunting for the da-'

'You most certainly have not,' Beetlenose interrupted. 'You still haven't brought any prey back.'

Sageclaw didn't understand for a second, but then quickly he remembered. In all the excitement of the patrol, they'd forgotten to collect the prey he'd caught on the way back. He shook his head, annoyed at himself. 'Sorry Beetlenose,' he said. 'I'll go and get it now.'

'You should be sorry,' the black tom growled as Sageclaw headed back over to the entrance. 'If that prey is gone, you'll hunting through the night to catch what you lost.'

 _Grumpy flea-brain,_ Sageclaw thought frustratedly. _I would've gone and got that prey if Rowanleap hadn't ushered me back to camp so quickly._

It was colder outside than it had been a few minutes ago. The wind had stepped it up, and the branches of the trees were swaying rapidly. Sageclaw made sure to stick to the stream he'd followed when hunting earlier, just to ensure he didn't miss anything. Then were was no way he was going to spend his time hunting at night. Slowly, he found all the places where he'd buried his prey and dug them up again, before carrying them in his jaws until he found the next one. It didn't take him too long to find them all, at least, a lot less time that it had taken him to catch them. Sageclaw wondered if Foxflame had caught all of her prey.

The tom stopped what he was doing as the thought crossed his mind. He hadn't seen her all morning, not even before he'd left camp. And he hadn't noticed her presence during Streamstar's announcement either. He knew that hunting was getting very hard, but it had been almost all day. Surely that was a bit excessive, especially since Foxflame was probably a better hunter than he was?

Worry tugged at him like the wind, but he forced himself to push the bad feelings away. 'I don't know why you worry about her so much,' he scolded himself. 'She doesn't need your protection. She's a fully grown cat, for StarClan's sake!' He shoved the niggling worry to the very back of his mind, but he knew it would be impossible to forget now.

After he'd collected all of his prey (thankfully, none of it had been lost), he started to pad slowly back to camp. He was in no rush, despite how quickly the sun was sinking. It wasn't like there was anything back in camp that he was looking forward to. Perhaps if Foxflame was there, he would've gone back to camp faster, but since he didn't know where she was.

'No!' Sageclaw said aloud. 'Stop worrying!'

He hastened his pace on the way back, hoping that he might find a distraction to take his mind off Foxflame. But there was none, just the continuous swaying of the trees, and the strong smell of water that tainted the land he would never call his home. How much easier catching his prey a day would be if he had a thick, dense canopy above him, and lush green grass underneath his paws.

Sageclaw emerged through the bushes that opened up into the camp entrance. Just before you padded inside, there was a slight, well trodden piece of ground that separated the camp from the streams and meadows. Here, the cat scent was so strong that it was almost overwhelming. He sighed, thinking about the prey in his mouth that he most likely wouldn't be able to eat.

Suddenly, he heard a twig snap.

The tom's ears pricked up. The noise had been far too loud to be a any normal piece of prey stepping on a twig. That had been louder, heavier, and somehow urgent. He looked around curiously, searching for where the noise had come from.

And then it came again. Another twig snapped, louder this time. Coming from his right. Sageclaw turned so that he was facing the right way. The noise was followed by a voice, one of a she-cat that he recognised.

Foxflame! She was here! Sageclaw felt some of the weight lift off his chest. She was okay. He'd known that his worrying had been unnecessary.

He was just about to pad over to where he'd heard Foxflame's voice come from, when to his surprise, another voice came. Sageclaw stopped dead in his tracks. This was one was deeper, the voice of a tomcat. One that was unmistakably RiverClan. He couldn't make out who the voice belonged to, all he knew that was that Foxflame was alone in the forest near the camp. With a RiverClan tom.

Sageclaw stepped forward, trying to listen in on the voices he could hear. They were close: he could tell that, but he needed to get closer. He padded forward a little closer to the bushes, and then listened in again. _Whose with her?_ A thousand questions rushed through his head like wildfire. _Is she in danger?_

And then, he started to pick up their conversation.

'-ou sick minded fox-heart! I'm not doing anything you say!'

'Oh yes you will, if you know what's good for you.'

'I know perfectly well what's good for myself, and it's not you.'

Sageclaw's eyes widened. What were they talking about? It sounded like Foxflame was being threatened! He resisted the urge to dash forward and intervene, but he prevented himself from doing so. Foxflame wouldn't appreciate him doing anything to help her.

'And besides, you're a RiverClan cat. You destroyed my Clan!'

'That wasn't my decision.'

'But you were part of it! You fought in the battle! I saw you killing my clan-mates.'

'Oh come now, Foxflame. You know I mean you no harm.'

Now, Sageclaw just felt confused. _That voice sounded like he was purring._

'Shut up, you mangy piece of-'

'Come on, Foxflame. Just do what I want you to.'

'Shut up!'

'Foxflame, you know I love you.'

 _What?!_

Sageclaw backed away from the sounds of their voices, his eyes filled with confusion. His blood felt like it had turned to ice. His heart beat furiously against the sides of his chest. _That tom just said that he loved her!_

In the moments that followed, all logic and reasoning seemed to completely desert Sageclaw. He had no idea what to do, or what to say. He was completely and utterly at loss for what to do. He couldn't go and stop whatever was happening. He didn't know what to do.

Quickly, he turned around and dashed away from the bushes where he knew Foxflame, and whoever that tom was, were still stood. He ducked through the camp entrance and into the clearing gasping desperately for breath. Making sure none of the RiverClan warriors were suspicious of him, he dashed across the camp and into the slave's den, away from the prying eyes of his slave masters.

 _What does this mean?_ he thought. _What was happening? Was Foxflame consenting to that?_

 _Should I have left her there?_

Instantly, he regretted his decision to leave. Foxflame could have needed his help. She could have been in trouble. But he hadn't been able to act accordingly. He'd lost his head.

Stiffly, he glanced up, looking through the slave den and back out into the camp. He wished that Foxflame would appear through the entrance, reassuring him that she was okay.

Something white dropped down, just in front of his view of the entrance. And then another. And then another. It had started to snow.

Leafbare had caught hold of the lake in it's frozen grip, and all Sageclaw felt was a terrible sense of dread.

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 **So there's the end of Chapter Six! Word count for this chappie: 4,939 words! Also, can you believe I've broken bloody 30,000 words already?! O_O**

 **Please review! Reviews keep me motivated!**


	9. Chapter 8: Eaglefang

**Author's Note: Hey guys and welcome back to Slaves. :)**

 **First of all, before I reply to all your reviews, I just want to give a mass I've thanks to ALL of the support so far that I've had on this story. You guys are amazing, seriously. I never thought this story would get nearly 50 reviews within 10 chapters, which is pretty mind-blowing! Just thank you so much for all the nice comments and feedback you guys have given me so far. XD**

 **Here are my replies to your reviews-**

 **Foxtail of StormClan: Indeed, Shellstorm is a very very bad cat, as is the cat who tried to take advantage of Foxflame. The next chapter from Sageclaw's POV should be quite interesting, at least, I hope anyway. But thanks for your continued reviews on the story! I really appreciate it. :)**

 **Mistfire: Awww, thank you so much! And now that you've pointed it out, the thing with how the slaves call the other cats sir is actually really starting to annoy me! I'll probably go back to the other chapters and edit those out at some point, because it too humanlike, but in the mean time, I made sure not to use sir when the slaves are addressing other cats in this chapter. Also, in answer to your question about the reasons behind the attack, I can't reveal that quite yet because it becomes a major plot point later on in the story! Sorry that it's not entirely obvious right now, but just to clear things up there is a reason why I haven't explained it yet. Through the use of plot twist later on, it will become clear. XD**

 **Yellowfang: Thanks very much for your review! And yep, I guess this story is based on a pretty dark subject. I might need to change from a T rating later on if it gets a bit out of hand, but for now I think it's fine. I hope I finish the story as well!**

 **WildChild13: Thanks a lot for your review, and yes, it was cliff hangers galore in the last chapter wasn't it! I hope this chapter is just enjoyable though! *dramatic music***

 **Raven that flies at night: I would probably have gone crazy if I was in Sageclaw's position as well. Thanks so much for your review!**

 **So in this chapter, we return to WindClan, where things aren't looking great on their side either. I'm actually super super proud of this chapter. I think it's probably one of the best of the story so far, and there's one scene in particular between Eaglefang and Palewhisper which I hope you'll really enjoy. :P**

 **Hope you enjoy the chapter! Please RR.**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Eight:**

Eaglefang was lost in thought as he padded over the medicine cat den. Because of the thick blanket of snow covering the ground of the camp, each step made his paws feel numb. He wished he could havestayed back in the slave's den, and huddled into the cosy feathers of his nest to keep warm. For once he found himself feeling jealous of Palewhisper, who hadn't been given a job that morning. He definitely didn't feel jealous of anything else in the she-cat's life.

Ever since he'd nearly lost Palewhisper out on the moors, he had been making doubly sure to keep one eye on her at all times. She seemed to appreciate the attention, since it gave her a sense of security, albeit false. In a way, it made Eaglefang feel safer too. The knowledge that his friend was safe and well comforted him.

But no matter what he did to make Palewhisper better, he knew there could only be a limit to her happiness. Her nightmares were stubbornly refusing to ease themselves. Eaglefang was confused about why they kept on repeating. Before he had become a WindClan slave, he'd never heard of someone receiving exactly the same nightmare for days on end. It most certainly strange, but the message Palewhisper had told him out on the moors was stranger still. The words echoed in his mind, _the past is drenched in blood, but the future is pale as light._ Eaglefang had tried to figure out what it meant, but after awhile, he'd given up. Nevertheless, he still worried about it, and sometime in the future, he knew that he'd have to find out the truth behind Palewhisper's nightmares.

He began to walk quicker, picking his way through the freezing snow and over to the medicine cat den. Looking out over the camp, he could see it was deserted. There were a few imprints of paws in the snow where the patrols had left earlier that morning, but mostly, the cats of WindClan had decided to stick to their dens, which he found completely understandable due to the weather. When he reached the den, Eaglefang's thoughts trailed over to Ryesong. The last time that he had spoken to the medicine cat was when they'd gone out to collect herbs, nearly a moon ago. In truth, he'd been trying to avoid her since then, and probably, it was the same for her. Without dwelling on it any longer, Eaglefang padded inside. His nose was greeted by the expected smell of herbs, and although the den had a gently soothing, almost welcoming atmosphere, it did little to protect him from the merciless cold outside. Ryesong was sat to one side, staring up at the roof of the den. He could tell that her eyes were screwed tightly shut, and her tail was wrapped neatly over her paws.

When she heard him come in, the medicine cat spun around. 'Oh!' she said in surprise. 'It's you.'

Eaglefang eyed her warily, wondering whether she was angry or annoyed at him. But if she was either, she didn't show any sign of it. 'Yeah,' the slave muttered. 'Sandpelt sent me. Apparently you need help with something.'

Ryesong nodded. 'I do,' she replied, gesturing for him to come closer. 'There's just a few herbs I need sorting out.'

Eaglefang padded over awkwardly. He'd thought Ryesong would be less friendly and more hostile towards him, since he hadn't exactly been friendly to her when they'd last talked. But then again, she was a medicine cat. Perhaps her kindness extended beyond his status as a slave?

Somehow, he doubted it.

Ryesong explained that she wanted him to sort out any of the unusable herbs from the ones that weren't. Although she needed all of the herbs she could get in leaf-bare, it was pointless to keep hold of any that wouldn't work. Eaglefang started to search through the piles of strong smelling plants, looking for anything was dying or already dead. Instead of just letting him do all the work on his own, the medicine cat joined in as well. They didn't talk, but Eaglefang enjoyed the quiet. It wasn't like he wanted to speak to her anyway.

So he was strangely disappointed when the dark brown she-cat opened her mouth. 'Are you two okay?' she asked suddenly.

Eaglefang didn't divert his concentration from his work. 'What do you mean?'

'You and the other slave,' Ryesong said. 'I don't know what her name is. Are you both alright?'

The tom felt like she was intruding a little, but he didn't bother telling her. 'There's nothing, "alright", about our lives right now.'

'Yes of course,' she replied. 'But I meant on a medicinal level.'

'No,' Eaglefang lied. 'There's nothing wrong.'

Unfortunately, Ryesong wasn't at all convinced. 'I'm sure that's not entirely true,' she stated matter of factly.

'And what makes you think that?'

'Because I know when a cat is ill,' she said. 'Every day your friend comes out of her den in the morning like she's just fought the whole of the Dark Forest single-pawed.'

For a moment, Eaglefang remained silent. It had never crossed his mind that Palewhisper's condition might've been noticed by anyone else in WindClan. Ryesong's interest had taken him by surprise.

Quickly, he carried on working. 'Why would I tell you?'

'Because she might need help, and I can tell that you care about her,' Ryesong murmured.

Instantly, Eaglefang became more aggressive. 'It's none of your business,' he growled.

'It most certainly is.' The medicine cat picked up a brown tinged feverfew leaf and tossed it aside. 'As much as you'll hate to admit it, you're a WindClan cat now. It's my responsibility to make sure everyone in WindClan, yes, even the slaves, are fit and healthy.'

'I'll never be a WindClan cat,' Eaglefang retorted.

Ryesong frowned, before turning to face him. Her expression gave away impatience. 'Then what Clan do you belong to? ThunderClan? The Clan that no longer exists?'

The tom's tail batted angrily against the side of his flank. 'ThunderClan does still exist!' he insisted. 'As long as I'm here to keep it's memory alive.'

She shook her head. 'Your loyalty is astounding,' she rasped, 'but foolish. Such words will get you killed.'

At this, Eaglefang turned to face her too. He was shaking a little, and bristling uncontrollably. He hated the fact that Ryesong's face remained blank and still. Was she _trying_ to provoke him? She must've been, and if so, she had clearly succeeded. 'Are you threatening me?' he hissed.

'Not at all,' she snorted. 'It's merely a warning. Do you think Gorsestar or Sandpelt would appreciate you denouncing their Clan like this? I don't think so.'

'Then what are you saying?' Eaglefang returned.

Slowly, the she-cat glanced around, checking to see if anyone else was in the den, before leaning closer. 'Look, all this arguing, is pointless. I can help you, and your friend.'

'How?' hedemanded.

'I sense there's more going on in her head than she realises, let alone understands,' Ryesong answered. 'Has she been having nightmares recently? What about?'

Eaglefang tried to speak, but the words got stuck in his throat. His heart pounded like a storm was raging inside his chest. _How does she know?_ he thought desperately. _How could see possibly know about Palewhisper's dreams?_

The tomcat backed away from the medicine cat. 'I'm not telling you anything.'

All Ryesong did was stare back. He thought there was a hint of desperation in her eyes too, desperation to know the truth. She opened her mouth, but Eaglefang spoke again before she could.

'The job's done, isn't it?' he said, looking at the now sizeable pile of dead leaves that they'd created. 'I can go now.'

She seemed very reluctant to let him go, and for second, he thought she might keep him back. But thankfully, she eventually nodded. 'Okay,' she murmured. 'You can go.'

Eaglefang dashed out of the den faster than the medicine cat could blink. The freezing cold snow made the feeling of numbness in his paws return, but he would've done a lot more than just walk out into snow to get away from Ryesong. He couldn't believe that she had even guessed there might've been something wrong with Palewhisper. It set him on edge. _If Ryesong knows, then do the rest of he Clan know as well?_ he thought. _Are they spying on us, watching our every move?_

Of course, he knew he was just being paranoid. It was beyond unlikely that the rest of the WindClan even cared that one, insignificant little slave was having bad dreams, and they couldn't have been spying on them; he and Palwhisper would've noticed it if they had. But somehow Ryesong had known, no matter how impossible it may be.

Eaglefang decided to head back to the slave's den. There wasn't any other jobs for him to do, and for once, it was he who needed comforting. Although he didn't think Palewhisper would be able to provide him with the reassurance he wanted, the presence of a friendly and familiar face would be comfort enough. He pushed his way through the heaps of snow, which seemed to have grown larger since the last time he was there, until he got to the den.

Palewhisper was lying alone in her nest, curled up in a ball of soft, pale white fur. Her sky blue eyes were closed and she appeared to be fast asleep. The sight of the she-cat looking so peaceful made him stop. He'd been intending to tell her straight away about what Ryesong had said, but to do that, he'd have to wake her up. And doing that would've been almost cruel considering how little sleep she got. Making sure not to make too much noise, Eaglefang padded over to his nest, where he too sat down. The tom tilted his head, a small smile overcoming his sombre expression as he watched Palewhisper sleep.

Suddenly, Eaglefang found himself thinking about the past. His mind took him back to ThunderClan, in the forest where he had grown up. He and Palewhisper were about the same age. When he'd been three moons old, she had just been born. He didn't remember much about her mother or father, but he remembered things about her. They hadn't really been friends. Her shyness had always got in the way of any strong friendship, however he had to admit that he'd enjoyed her company. She was a nice cat, but he tended to hang out with the toms when he was an apprentice. Eaglefang had never really known how to act around she-cats, even when he became a warrior. Not that she evoked any feelings of nervousness inside him, only one she-cat had ever done that to him. His first crush, he recalled, had ironically been upon the ThunderClan medicine cat at the time, Willowflight. She had been friends with Palewhisper, but Eaglefang had grown out of his feelings by the time he was a warrior. But he'd always admired Willowflight's beauty. Sometimes, he did so even now.

He knew that it was stupid and mouse brained to be thinking about such trivial things like who his first crush had been on in times like this, but Eaglefang didn't care. All he wanted to do was imagine that the attack had never happened in the first place, and he was in fact back in ThunderClan. Palewhisper was just enjoying an afternoon doze, and he was waiting to go out on a border patrol, perhaps with the she-cat, even. They'd laugh with their clan-mates on the patrol, and indulge themselves on a mouse or two while they were at it. There would be nothing better.

Now that all of those small things were gone, Eaglefang realised how much he'd taken them for granted.

'What are you thinking about?'

The small, groggy voice caused him to sit up again. Palewhisper, though still curled up in her nest, had one eye open and was eyeing him. She looked relaxed, but Eaglefang cursed himself for waking up. _Seriously?_ he scolded himself. _Finally she was asleep and you ruined it?_

'Sorry, Palewhisper,' he said, getting up to his paws anxiously. 'I woke you up didn't I? I shouldn't even have come inside in the first place-'

'No, no,' Palewhisper said, waving off his excuses with a dainty flick of her tail. 'I woke up on my own. I'd been asleep for awhile, actually.'

Eaglefang's ears pricked up. 'You were?'

'Yes,' the she-cat nodded. She rolled over onto her front and let out a long, contented sigh. 'It feels like I haven't slept like that in moons.'

'That's because you haven't.'

She looked at him, before smiling warmly at him. 'No,' she chuckled. 'I guess you're right.'

Eaglefang couldn't help but feeling shocked that Palewhisper seemed so… well, so normal. He hadn't seen her act so freely or in some ways playfully for a long time. It was encouraging, indeed that she hadn't had the nightmare but also because of how refreshed she seemed. Everything about her looked rejuvenated. Her pelt appeared to have a new gleam to it, and her eyes were bright and cheerful. The smile on her face when she looked at him was infectious, and sure enough, he found himself smiling back at her. But then, he remembered what he had come back to their den for.

'Palewhisper,' Eaglefang said, as he padded over and sat down beside her. 'There's something I have to tell you.'

Instantly, the she-cat's smile disappeared from her face. 'Yes?'

Just as he was about to repeat everything that Ryesong had said earlier, he hesitated. Eaglefang still didn't feel like it was right to tell her about it, even more so now that she seemed to have discovered what a happy mood was.

But the tom was saved from having to make a decision when the shape of a she-cat burst into the den. 'Hey, you two,' the voice snapped. 'You're coming with us for an assignment.'

Eaglefang's eyes narrowed in frustration. The she-cat's name was Morningflight. _Foxing!_ he thought angrily. _Just as I was about to tell Palewhisper!_ But in some ways, he was relieved that she'd interrupted. It meant that he didn't have to worry about troubling the she-cat, at least, not until whatever this assignment was had been completed.

'What assignment?' he asked, boldly.

Morningflight rolled her eyes. 'It doesn't matter what the assignment is,' she shot backcoldly. 'Just that you have to do it, slave.'

She turned around, and stomped out of the den, her head held high. Eaglefang snorted, before nudging Palewhisper with his muzzle. 'Come on,' he muttered. 'Let's go.'

Palewhisper nodded, the smile now gone from her face. She got to her paws, and it struck the tom that although she looked better, there was still something undeniably frail about the way she stood. He disliked the idea of taking her out onto the hills again after what had happened last time, but he didn't have a choice, did he?

Eaglefang led Palewhisper out into the snow and over to where the other WindClan cats who were going out on the assignment. An apprehensive feeling came over him when he saw the deputy, Sandpelt, stood with Morninglfight and the other cats as well. _If the deputy is there,_ he thought grimly, _it must be pretty important._ They stopped beside the group, about fox length away from them all. They weren't really part of the group, and he thought it best for both of them taking into account how they were looking at him.

'Right,' Sandpelt announced. She licked her paws cooly. 'I know I don't need to tell you about the situation with RiverClan, but this is vitally important for the Clan's safety.'

 _Oh,_ Eaglefang thought knowingly, _that's what this is about._ Two sunrises ago, the patrol that hunted in ThunderClan's territory had come back to camp more furious than they usually were. They'd said that RiverClan had demanded more prey than they should have been given, which only added fuel to the fire of hostility that was burning between the two Clans. That with the RiverClan scents WindClan had picked up along their border was starting to worry Eaglefang. He'd hadn't smelled anything, but apparently many of the patrols had been coming back reporting a RiverClan cat had been catching prey in their territory. The whole idea of one Clan catching prey for another had been a disaster waiting to happen in the first place, but combined with the usual tensions of Leaf-bare and now prey stealing, the slave was sure the argument would probably end in a fight of some kind. He just hoped that it wasn't as big as the conflict promised.

'Gorsestar and Iagree that prey stealing of any kind in Leaf-bare is not acceptable,' Sandpelt said, walking up and down the group of WindClan warriors she'd assembled. It was like she was rallying them. 'We also agree that we would rather this quarrel with RiverClan was ended peacefully. A fight in the middle of Leaf-bare could be disastrous for both of us.'

The warriors nodded to each other, concurring with their deputy.

'That is why,' she continued, 'Gorsestar and Isee finding out the identity of the cat who is prey stealing to be a foremost issue that must be addressed. He ordered me to get you all together, so that we can search the border for any scents that may give us an idea to who the culprit is.'

'Sandpelt!' Morningflight called out. 'How can you be sure that it's just one cat whose behind the prey stealing?'

The light ginger she-cat's ears twitched. 'We can't be,' she replied, honestly. 'But Gorsestar says that he doesn't believe Streamstar would order her warriors to take part in something as serious as this. She's normally reluctant to get involved in a kind of fight, and as you'll recall, it took Ravenstar some convincing to get them involved in the attack on ThunderClan.'

A barbed hiss escaped Eaglefang's threat. _I'm not sure any leader who helps destroy a whole Clan can be regarded as peaceful._

All the warriors seemed to think Gorsestar and Sandpelt's conclusion was wise, but it struck Eaglefang that not only of them did, Morningflight included. They didn't have a chance to voice their dissatisfaction though, because Sandpelt had already started to lead them over to the way out of camp. As he and Palewhisper followed them, he noticed that she was shivering.

'Are you cold?' he whispered into her ear worriedly.

Palewhisper shook her head. 'Not at the moment,' she murmured back.

Sandpelt stopped just as they'd left camp. At the top of the hill that the WindClan camp was based on, you could see out over the whole lake. 'I want you all to split up,' she told them. 'Morningflight, you take Thrushstrike and Dawnheart downwind, and I'll go with Harestoop and Cloudstreak down to the lake.' She spared a look at Eaglefang and Palewhisper before turning back to clan-mates. 'The two slaves will go alone in the opposite direction.'

Eaglefang blinked in surprise that she was letting him and Palewhisper venture off on their own, as did the WindClan warriors. 'Sandpelt,' Cloudstreak said uneasily, 'is that a good idea? What if they run off?'

Sandpelt laughed. 'In this weather? They wouldn't get far before they froze to death.'

As much as Eaglefang would've liked to run away and never come back, he knew what Sandpelt was true. He doubted they'd even get out of Clan territory.

With that, the group split up, Sandpelt and Morningflight taking their cats off away from Palewhisper and Eaglefang as they headed out into the blistering snow. It was thicker and heavier outside of the camp, in some places the snow reached over his paws. _I haven't got a clue how we're going to pick up any scents at all in this sort of weather,_ he thought grumpily. _Surely Gorsestar could've waited until the snow died down a bit?_

As they padded down the face of the hills, Eaglefang kept his eye on Palewhisper, ensuring that she was keeping up alright. After just a few minutes of walking, it started to became clear that she was struggling. She kept her head down, as if she was trying to hide it from Eaglefang. He hadn't a clue why the she-cat would be ashamed of showing weakness to him, but either way, he wasn't fooled by it. Eventually, he stopped and pulled her up so that she was looking directly at him.

'Look Palewhisper,' he said gently. 'This is pointless. You don't have to hide anything from me, you know that? The WindClan cats aren't here anymore.'

Palewhisper hugged her paws to her chest. Snow covered her fur. 'I know,' she mumbled under her breath.

'It would be better for both of us if we walked together.'

'Okay.'

Eaglefang sighed in relief, before allowing the she-cat to come closer to him until her side was pressed up against his own. Her body made him feel warmer within seconds, and he hoped it was doing the same for her.

His hopes were answered by Palewhisper's purr. 'Thank you, Eaglefang. That's much better.'

The two of them continued to pad down the hill side by side until they started to near the RiverClan border. Making sure not to part from Palewhisper's warmth, he lowered his nose to the ground and begunto sniff, looking for any scents that might belong to RiverClan. But the snow made it near impossible to smell anything. Palewhisper started to help out as well when the trees of RiverClan's territory came into sight, but she didn't pick up anything either.

After awhile of looking, Eaglefang kicked the snow, annoyed. 'This is mousebrained!' he echoed. 'We're not going to get anyway with all this snow.'

Palewhisper hardly moved. She just carried on sniffing.

Eaglefang turned around dejectedly. 'Look, we might as well go back to camp and meet up with Sandpelt and the others. I doubt they've found anything either.'

He started to pad away, trudging through the trail in the snow they'd created on their way down the hill, when suddenly, Palewhisper's voice came back at him.

'Eaglefang, come here!' she shouted excitedly. 'I think I've found something!'

Eaglefang stopped in his tracks. 'What?'He twisted and ran back to where Palewhisper was standing. She looked like the outline of a cat more than a real one, with how her fur blended in with the white ground.

'Just there,' Palewhisper said, pointing with her tail down to the ground where she was standing.

Eaglefang glanced at her, before craning his neck down and smelling at the snow. His eyes lit up. There was a scent! It smelt strongly of RiverClan, but also of something that he couldn't quite place, something strong and familiar. But the RiverClan in it was undoubtable.

But his blood ran cold when he picked up the other thing that was mixed with the scent. The smell of dead prey.

Palewhisper hadn't realised how significant what they'd discovered was yet. She was still just excited. 'We can go back and tell and Sandpelt about what we've found,' she bubbled. 'And then we can-'

Quickly, Eaglefang interrupted her. 'No!' he exclaimed. 'Palewhisper, we can't tell anyone about this.'

'What?' she said, confused. 'Why?'

'Because if WindClan do find out that there's evidence RiverClan have been stealing prey, it could lead to war,' he told her. 'This is big, Palewhisper, and a lot more serious than I thought.'

The she-cat's blue eyes widened. 'War?'

'Yes Palewhisper, war,' he said.

He knew it would strike a nerve. He saw memories flash in front of her eyes. Once again, Palewhisper had been thrown back to the night of the attack. He wanted to help her, snap her out of her it, but he also know it wouldn't do any good.

He shook her shoulders again. 'We have to go back to camp now,' he said, trying to make his voice sound firm. 'And you cannot tell anyone Palewhisper, not under any circumstances. Alright?'

The thought of the attack seemed to have changed her completely. 'Yes, Eaglefang,' she replied absently.

Eaglefang sensed that she hadn't taken in much of what he'd said, but he couldn't do much about it. He just had to get them back to camp, and out of the snow. It was driving him crazy.

As they trudged back up the hill, Eaglefang forced himself to take his attention away from Palewhisper and think about the scent. It was bothering him for some reason. It had evidently belonged to a RiverClan cat, but the fact that there was another smell mixed in with it made him suspicious. But he was worried as well, and a bit scared. The consequences of a fight in Leaf-bare, as Sandpelt had underlined to them back at the camp, would be severe. They were strained for food already, and despite the fact RiverClan had the streams for fish, he assumed that they were struggling as well. Many of those brooks would have frozen over anyway.

And if there was a war between RiverClan and WindClan, what if ShadowClan were pressured to getting involved as well?

Sandpelt and Morningflight's groups hadn't got back from their search yet, but Eaglefang didn't bother waiting for them. Palewhisper needed to be somewhere warm, and that was his priority. He led back into the camp, which was still mostly empty. Only one or two cats had dared leave their dens.

He ushered Palewhisper back over to the slave's den, but just before they reached it, he stopped them both. This was his opportunity to tell her about Ryesong.

'Palewhisper,' he begun, 'about what I was saying in the den earlier.'

But Palewhisper wasn't listening. Her eyes were blank, full with the same expression he'd seen when she'd wandered out onto the hills a few sunrises ago. Eaglefang's heart sank. Whatever improvement he'd seen in her condition before they'd left on the assignment seemed to have disappeared completely. She wasn't ready to hear about Ryesong yet.

Sadly, he nudged the she-cat back into the den, hoping just to get the miserable day over with.

* * *

 **So would do you think about the developments in this chapter? Like I always say, plz leave a review, and also I'd be really interested to know who you think is the cat in RiverClan who is stealing prey! Hope you enjoyed, and I'll try and get Chapter Nine written and posted quickly. Word count for this chapter: 5,128 words! Phew, and that's 40,000 words well and truly broken.** **XD**


	10. Chapter 9: Smoketalon

**Author's Note: Hey guys, and welcome back to Chapter Nine of Slaves. :)**

 **Yep, it's been awhile. About a month actually, which is a long time not to have** **written a chapter, but again, I find myself pointing out I haven't been completely inactive during that time. I posted a chapter of A Greenleaf Breeze, so go and check that out if you'd like.**

 **Here are my replies to your epic reviews!:**

 **Mistfire- Thanks a lot for your review! I really appreciate it. And yeah, I guess you'll have to wait on finding out whose prey stealing! All will be revealed soon enough though. XD**

 **PopCat- Uh huh, Palewhisper is kind of a sad character to write about it. But thanks a lot for your continued reviews! And go Eaglefang too. :)**

 **Raven that flies at night- Well, you never know, do you? XD**

 **Yellowfang- What's my favourite character? Hmmmm... maybe Palewhisper? I find her very interesting to write, but also Smoketalon is quite cool. But thanks a lot for your review, as always!**

 **So int his chapter, we return to Smoketalon and Aspenpaw. I hope you enjoy it! Please RR.**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Nine:**

Smoketalon watched as Aspenpaw groomed his matted grey pelt. It was approaching sunhigh, although he wasn't sure if he could actually call it that considering the distinct lack of any sun. It had been awhile since they'd seen any now, ever since the snow had started to fall in fact. The pine trees, unlike in ThunderClan's territory, kept their leaves all year round, meaning that their branches were able to take most of the brunt of the Leafbare weather. Nevertheless, the ground was still covered by a thin layer of snow, and the air had a biting chill to it. Smoketalon shivered. As he'd learned all too well in his first few moons as a slave, their den didn't exactly provide flawless protection from the cold.

By now, the cuts that Aspenpaw had received in the training session with Wolfpaw had, but for a scar on his left shoulder, healed completely. If a ShadowClan cat had seen the apprentice, they wouldn't have known he'd been wounded. It was good that Smoketalon didn't have to worry about him anymore, but whenever one problem sorted itself out another seemed to become apparent. After he'd snapped at Aspenpaw for his friendly conversation with Tanglepaw, the small grey tom had been giving him the silent treatment. At first, he'd toyed with the idea of apologising, but then decided against it. _It's not my fault,_ Smoketalon thought disinterestedly. He just needs to swallow his pride and admit that he was in the wrong.

Aspenpaw finished his grooming by licking the dirt and grime from in between his claws, before stretching out in satisfaction. A hint of the tidiness that Smoketalon had come to expect from the apprentice's fur had returned, although it was still a bit matted.

'You're wounds are looking better,' the black tom said gruffly.

Aspenpaw didn't answer. The only sign he gave that he'd even heard was the slightest shrug of his shoulders.

Smoketalon's eyes contracted at this. 'I said that you wounds were looking better,' he repeated, trying to tempt a reaction, but once again, it was like the apprentice had failed to hear him. He didn't like the way that Aspenpaw was acting. No matter how much the younger cat frustrated him, he had started to become a cat whose company he valued highly. There wasn't really anyone else he could have a reasonable conversation with in ShadowClan. Not only that, but he was a reminder. A memory of a time when things were so much better.

Smoketalon begun to speak, but suddenly, Aspenpaw got up to his paws. 'Sorry, I have to go,' he said curtly. 'One of the warriors said I'd be needed for a patrol yesterday.'

Smoketalon's body stiffened in annoyance. _Really?_ he thought. _When I'm about to talk he decides to remember about a job?_ His paws itched; he was tempted to tell Aspenpaw he was being a mousebrain, but he didn't think the apprentice would take too kindly to an insult. He didn't want to give him another reason to be awkward.

'Well, go on then,' Smoketalon replied, trying to keep the disapproval from his voice. 'You don't have to ask me for permission.'

Aspenpaw nodded, before quickly turning around and padding out of the slave's den. The black tom couldn't help but feel a little suspicious as he disappeared from view. The fact that he hadn't mentioned which warrior had ordered his presence, or even what type of patrol it was had raised a few questions in Smoketalon's mind. He wondered if the so called "job" had just been an excuse to get away from him. Surely Aspenpaw wasn't that upset with him?

He shook his head. It was utterly ridiculous to be pondering on issues like this. He didn't need the apprentice, if anything, the young cat was just an inconvenience. But if he was right about one thing, it was that the ShadowClan cats would probably have jobs for him to do. Smoketalon stood up and glanced through the entrance out into the camp. There weren't many cats sat around the fresh kill pile, and as usual, Ravenstar was nowhere to be seen. He assumed that the majority of the Clan were out in the pine forest, hunting. The amount of prey had significantly decreased since the start of Leafbare. He stepped out into the snow, very aware of the hunger in his stomach. What Smoketalon would've done for a nice squirrel or a mouse.

'Hey slave! Get over here.'

The loud voice came from near the warriors den, where a cat was who he recognised as Nightwhisper was standing. Smoketalon groaned. He had known that a job would be inevitable, only he wished that it hadn't come so soon. Reluctantly, he made his way over to the warrior, before coming to a stop when he reached him. There was something unnerving about the black tom's yellow eyes, and his pelt was spotless compared to his own. The relation to Ravenstar was obvious.

'We're going out to collect some bedding for the elders,' Nightwhisper instructed. He sounded grumpy, and incredibly unenthusiastic. 'Deputy's orders.'

Smoketalon nodded wordlessly, but as soon as Emberheart was brought up, his head started to spin. He was beginning to notice more and more just how clearly ShadowClan weren't happy with their deputy. For almost all of his orders given, there was some kind of backchat. The apprentices lacked respect towards him, especially Wolfpaw. He even recalled that Ivynose had appeared spiteful. He thought about asking Nightwhisper why that was, but he held his tongue. It probably wouldn't get him anywhere.

Nightwhisper led him out of camp and into the forest, padding nonchalantly across the frosted ground. Smoketalon watched from behind. He moved in a strangely elegantly way, with the grace and confidence of a cat who thought that he owned the lake, but he carried himself with dignity. There was nothing of the cruel, arrogant aura that emanated from his brother, Ravenstar. It crossed his mind whether he might've been a good choice for deputy, especially since he was related to the leader.

'Right,' Nightwhipser said. 'This is the spot.'

They had arrived in a clearing full of boulders. They were covered in moss, perfect for the bedding that the elders would require. The trees parted, and when there was sun, it's rays would reflect off the smooth surface of the rocks, warming them up. When he was a kit, Smoketalon had heard stories about a place called Sunningrocks, which had been full of stones similar to his. But in Leafbare, they looked damp and wet. He glanced at the ShadowClan warrior doubtfully.

'Go on then,' Nightwhisper echoed, tapping his claws on a nearby rock. 'I haven't got all day.'

Smoketalon's eyes narrowed. 'Alright!' he snapped, a barbed hiss escaping from his throat. 'It's just bedding. It's not like the elders will die without it.'

He sensed that his sarcastic comment would have been treated a lot more harshly had he not turned away before a retort could come. With Nightwhisper's cold yellow eyes trailed upon his back, he began scraping the moss from the stone it clung to, without much eagerness. It was indeed as damp as it had looked from a distance. He didn't think the elders would enjoy it in their nests very much.

'Hurry up,' Nightwhisper called out impatiently. 'Emberheart said that he wanted me to collect it by sunhigh.'

Smoketalon looked up at the sky. It was past sunhigh already, more evidence to suggest that Emberheart's orders were disregarded faster than they should be. Even more so than that, it sounded like Nightwhisper was implying that the deputy had wanted him personally to get the moss, not for him to order some slave to get it.

'Why do all you ShadowClan cats seem to hate Emberheart so much?' Smoketalon demanded boldly. 'No one ever seems to obey his orders properly.'

He fully expected to hear a scathing remark back, or perhaps just a warning for him to get on with his work, but instead, Nightwhisper held his gaze. There was an element of curiosity in their depths. 'You're a lot more.. outgoing than I thought a slave would be,' the black tom said. 'You certainly have more fight in you than I'd anticipated after the battle.'

The reference to that horrible night, as usual, made Smoketalon's ear burn, but he was getting better at controlling himself. 'Well, I'd be a pretty pathetic warrior if I just gave up, wouldn't I?' he returned.

Nightwhisper chuckled darkly. 'Yes, I suppose you would be,' he muttered. 'And in answer to your question about Emberheart, it's because he's a foxhearted coward. The kind of cat that doesn't deserve to be in a position of power in this Clan.'

The slave tilted his head to one side. _A foxhearted coward?_ he thought. _Why's that?_ He opened his mouth, about to take advantage of the situation and ask for more information, but Nightwhisper had clearly had enough.

'That'll be enough moss,' Nightwhisper said, pointing towards what he'd collected. 'We can go back to camp now.'

The ShadowClan warrior twisted around and padded back into the denser undergrowth, back in the direction of the camp. Smoketalon cursed, wishing that he'd managed to prise more out of Nightwhisper, but he couldn't dwell on it for too long. He gathered up all his moss and dashed after him, following his scent trail back through the trees. All the while, he was thinking about Emberheart, trying to figure out a reason why he would be considered a coward. He remembered before ThunderClan had been destroyed, Emberheart had always seemed to be popular, at least, that was the impression he got from whenever their paths crossed. In fact, it was only after the battle that things had started to change.

When they got back to camp, there was a much stronger scent of cat in the air. Nightwhisper ordered him to take the moss over to the elders, which he did, dropping it just inside the entrance for them to pick up later. He couldn't see Aspenpaw, so he assumed that the apprentice had gone back to the slave's den. Smoketalon was just about to pad back over to the slaves den, when suddenly, a group of ShadowClan cats burst in through the entrance. Their leader, Bonefur, seemed alarmed. He turned, whispering quietly with the other cats on his patrol, before sending one of them over to Ravenstar's den, apparently to inform him of something.

Smoketalon's ears pricked up with interest. Something was going on, something of enough importance to get a ShadowClan patrol riled up. He was relatively close to the patrol, so quietly, he made his way closer until he could just about hear what they were saying.

'-you don't think it's too serious, do you?' one of the warriors was saying.

'I sure hope not,' a russet brown she-cat called Duskwing replied.

'Relax, it could easily be nothing,' Bonefur rasped, although he didn't look at all convinced. 'Maybe the WindClan cats we overheard were just gossiping about RiverClan-'

'Then why were they mentioning prey stealing? And why did they seem so angry?' Duskwing whispered back.

Smoketalon's eyes widened. _Prey stealing?_ he thought. _RiverClan are prey stealing? From WindClan?_ He leaned in closer, desperate to hear more, but the group had moved further away from him. He could tell they didn't want to make a scene of it, but they'd thought it was serious enough to go and tell and Ravenstar. He glanced up at the leader's den. The cat who'd gone inside still hadn't come out yet. Would the ShadowClan leader come out and say something? He doubted it. Just hearing one Clan whittering about on prey stealing probably wouldn't be enough to panic a cat who always seemed as calm as Ravenstar, but it must be wondering worrying for him to hear. Did this mean the two neighbouring Clans could be on the verge of a battle?

Smoketalon began to pad way from the group, not wanting any of the ShadowClan cats to realise he had been eavesdropping. It probably wasn't nearly as serious at they'd made it seem, but prey stealing in Leafbare wasn't good for any Clan. And besides, it wasn't any of ShadowClan's business, but this was Ravenstar. He'd learnt through previous experience that the leader _relished_ the idea of war.

He made his way into the slave's den, hoping to see Aspenpaw inside. Thankfully, he did. The apprentice was curled up in a ball in his nest. He appeared to be asleep, but Smoketalon knew that he wasn't from his breathing.

'Hello?' he said, nudging the young cat with his muzzle. But Aspenpaw didn't move. Evidently, he was still ignoring him.

Smoketalon grunted, but didn't pursue the matter. He knew he would have to clear up the tension between him and the apprentice at some point, but now wasn't the time to do so. He padded over to his nest and settled down. Hopefully, they wouldn't get any other jobs for the rest of the day.

* * *

 **Yeah, this was a bit of a filler chapter to be honest. But we got to see some interesting stuff about Emberheart! I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Next chapter, we return to Sageclaw and Foxflame, which should be entertaining. Please consider dropping a review and telling me what you think!**


	11. Chapter 10: Sageclaw

**Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm really glad to announce that Slaves is officially back.**

 **I know that may sound strange since compared to some of the waits between other chapters, I think this was relatively short. Still, I've been on holiday for the past week, and pretty much devoted the whole time to writing because there wasn't any internet, so it feels like it's been ages. During this time, I also went back and had a massive proof reading session where I went back over the all the chapters I'd written so far and cleared every error up I could find. Please do warn me if you see a typo in a chapter from now on so I can go back and change it. XD**

 **Anyway, here are my replies to your amazing reviews! I was shocked by how many of you reviewed on a 2,000 word chapter. Thanks so much!-**

 **Raven that flies at night: Thanks very much!**

 **Ivyleap of SkyClan: Thanks a lot for your review! I'm glad you like Smoketalon. :)**

 **WildChild13: Thanks for continually reviewing! I really appreciate your feedback. Yeah, Emberheart has a big role to play in the story. Obviously he has an interesting relationship with Smoketalon, and the tension between the Clans is building better than I thought it would actually. I've tried to change the focus away from RiverClan and WindClan's little rivalry in this chapter to concentrate more on the characters though. :)**

 **Bluestream: Wow! Thanks so much for your detailed review! Your point about using different POVs is very true. In this chapter I'm still concentrating on Sageclaw, but at some point, maybe in the next chapter, I'll make sure to give a side character like Palewhisper or Aspenpaw a chapter.**

 **Alex: Thanks a lot for your review! And yep, thanks for pointing out the mistakes. I went back with my beta and proof read all of the earlier chapters, and I also read it through again just to make sure. I've sorted out the large majority of the errors, but always feel free to point if make a mistake in the writing, like with Nightwhisper's description. XD Oh, and your theory about Smoketalon's heritage is really intriguing!**

 **Yellowfang: Thanks again for an amazing review! Who is my favourite character in the Warriors series ever? Difficult question... I made a top ten list of my favourite characters on my profile actually, but at the moment my favourite character is Fallen Leaves. Just wondering, whose your _least_ favourite character in the Warriors series?**

 **Starlight's Silver Dance: Thanks a lot for another review! I do spend a lot of time planning characters, so I'm really happy that you think all of them are three dimensional. :P**

 **Guest: Thanks a bunch for your review! Yeah, the storyline is petty depressing, but I'm glad that you're enjoying it. My favourite character in the Warriors series is Fallen Leaves. Whose your favourite character?**

 **PopCat: Yes, Emberheart certainly has an interesting past. Everything will be revealed soon enough though. XD**

 **So now we return to Sageclaw in RiverClan. As I'm sure you'll remember, I left you guys on a bit of a cliffhanger last time, which I feel kinda guilty about since you had to wait two chapters for the rotation to get back to Sageclaw. Not to worry, all that happened at the end of Chapter Seven is explained here. :)**

 **Also, to make up for the briefness and fillerness (is that a word?) of the previous chapter, I made sure to make this one REALLY long. A lot happens, and it's nearly 6,000 words in total, which is pretty impressive for my standards. It's by far the longest chapter of the story so far.**

 **Hope you enjoy it, and please RR as always!**

* * *

 ** _Slaves:_**

 **Chapter Ten:**

It had been two days since he'd abandoned Foxflame with the RiverClan tom, and still, Sageclaw was yet to forgive himself. In the moments where he wasn't hunting for prey, or carrying out a job, he'd always found himself wondering if there was something he could've done differently. Perhaps he should have gone over to them and made sure that the tom, whoever the foxheart was, wasn't doing anything wrong. Of course, a part of him knew that he couldn't really have done much else. If another slave had come and told the RiverClan warrior to back off, he would've just gone to Shellstorm and reported it for disrespect, and Sageclaw was dreading the day he or his fellow slave received a punishment from _him._

Either way, he still wanted to apologise to Foxflame, or at least ask her if there was anything he could do to help. Strangely though, whenever he got near her she would always be leaving on a patrol, or something along those lines. It was frustrating. He was perfectly aware that he and Foxflame were far from best friends, but he'd hoped she would have the sense to at least to talk him, considering he was the only cat who she _could_ talk to without being verbally slaughtered.

Sageclaw was standing just beside the entrance to the camp. There was a large group of RiverClan cats nearby, all waiting to be assigned their respective patrols. Organising them was Shellstorm, who never passed off an opportunity to showcase his authority to the Clan. He spoke loudly, his arrogant voice ringing out to every cat in the clearing, even those who weren't preparing for a patrol. Although he'd decided it long ago, it was official now to Sageclaw. The deputy was his least favourite cat around the whole lake, and that was really saying something. He hated a lot of cats: Ravenstar, Gorsestar, even Emberheart, but Shellstorm was the worst.

What was strange though was that no one else seemed to think so. All the RiverClan warriors treated him with respect, His leader had honoured him with deputyship and he had a kind and beautiful mate in Reedshade. If Sageclaw was honest, he envied the grey tom. Why was it that a cat so cruel could have such a great life, when someone like him suffered?

He diverted his gaze away from Shellstorm, hoping that he wouldn't be ordered to join a patrol. As usual, he'd finished his hunting early, so that he'd have more time to relax. But this time, he wasn't going to waste it. He was determined to get an explanation out of Foxflame, whether it was one that he liked or not. The she-cat was still in the slave's den. As soon as she emerged, he'd go over and confront her.

But until then, Sageclaw had to stand out in the snow, shivering like a frightened rabbit. Leafbare's weather wasn't getting any better. It was still snowing daily, and the streams were beginning to freeze over. But today appeared to be an exception. For once, the sun was out, and the ice coating the brooks had melted, although a large amount of the snow still remained. It was nowhere near the end of the the season though, so he assumed it would start to snow again soon.

Suddenly, he saw a flash of dark ginger fur on the other side of the camp. He got up to his paws just as Foxfame appeared from the slave's den. There was the normal look of annoyance on her face as she gave her chest a few swift licks, before padding over in his direction. Sageclaw's eyes brightened a little. Had she finally seen some sense and decided to talk to him?

'Foxflame!' he exclaimed. 'I've been meaning to talk to you for ages.'

'Well it'll have to wait,' she said impatiently. 'Beetlenose wants me to join his patrol.'

 _Really?_ Sageclaw thought. _She has to go on another patrol?_ He opened his mouth to ask if there was a way she could get around it, but she just shook her head and barged past him, moving towards the group of RiverClan warriors by the entrance.

But the tom wasn't going to let her go so easily this time. He whipped his tail around the she-cat's shoulder and pulled her back towards him, which earned him a hiss in return. 'Stop,' he growled. 'This is important.'

'What's the matter with you?' Foxflame snapped. 'You're always wittering on about keeping a low profile-'

'Just listen, for StarClan's sake!' he interrupted. 'I heard you with-'

'Is there something wrong?'

The brash voice made Sageclaw freeze mid-sentence. Stiffly, he turned around to see Beetlenose, the cat who'd assigned Foxflame to his patrol, watching them carefully from a few paw steps away. His ears were twitching with undisguised scorn. Behind him, a few of the warriors on his patrol had turned to look as well, including Shellstorm.

When neither of the slaves said anything, the black tom spoke again. 'Well?' he asked patronisingly. 'What's going on?'

'Nothing,' Foxflame replied. 'My _friend_ here was just stopping me from going on patrol.'

Beetlenose rolled his eyes. 'You can save whatever pathetic gossiping you want to do for later,' he said. 'Hunting takes priority, slave.'

The RiverClan warrior spun around and padded back to the waiting patrol to lead them out of camp. Foxflame muttered something under her breath, probably of a sassy tone, before following them.

Just before she went out of earshot, Sageclaw made sure to hiss at her, 'I still have to talk to you. I'll meet you in the slave's den after you've finished.'

Foxflame ignored him completely. He doubted that she'd even heard him by the way she padded away. The last thing he saw of her was her tail, disappearing out of the camp.

Sageclaw closed his eyes in frustration. It seemed that every cat in the Clan was trying to get on his nerves at the moment. Shellstorm, Foxflame, who next? The tom sighed. The longer he was left in the dark about what was happening to Foxflame, the more he was going to be infuriated. He would never admit it to her, but he appreciated Foxflame's company. She was the only cat's company who he could appreciate.

He was about to head back over to the slave's den when he felt a paw tapping him on the shoulder. There was a sinking feeling in his gut, because he knew exactly what was going to happen next. _I swear, if I have to do one more job today after this, I'm going to kill myself._

With a clenched paw, he turned to look at the cat who was trying to get his attention. It was a she-cat he wasn't too familiar with named Dappleheart. She was wiry, with a small frame and a glossy pelt typical of RiverClan.

'I'm here on direct orders from Shellstorm,' she grunted warily. 'He says he wants you to go and find his mate.'

 _Reedshade?_ he thought. _Why doesn't he just go and do it himself?_ Sageclaw didn't bother asking her the question, since he knew wouldn't get anything meaningful in return, but it certainly seemed odd.

'And where am I supposed to find her?' he asked.

She shrugged. 'Don't ask me. I'm just the messenger.'

Sageclaw's eyes widened in disbelief. Did Shellstorm seriously think that he would be able to find a cat completely on his own, without any clues as to where she was? He wanted to snap at the she-cat, and tell her what he thought of her so called "orders", but she didn't even give him a chance.

As Dappleheart padded away, the tomcat cursed in his mind. _Well that's just brilliant! So first of all, Foxflame decides she wants to avoid me again, and now, I'm sent off on a flying squirrel chase to find a cat whose probably drowning somewhere in the lake._ He felt like kicking something, or preferably someone. Hard. Usually, he never got so angry, but when things were going against him so much he couldn't help it.

Somehow, Sageclaw could sense eyes staring straight into his back. He could guess who they belonged to, and indeed, he was right. The deputy's eyes were narrowed down to slits, daring him to question the order. He felt a burning desire to do exactly that, and show the grey tom that he couldn't boss him around. But it was hopeless. If he so much as protested, Shellstorm would make mousemeat of him.

Swallowing his pride, Sageclaw padded past the spot where his tormentor was standing. His claws sheathed and unsheathed themselves like they had a mind of their own. He kept telling himself that there was no point, but the thought of fighting and beating Shellstorm was incredibly satisfying, if unrealistic. An image crossed his mind, of his claws at the arrogant tom's throat, gloating about his fine victory against the strongest cat in RiverClan. Oh yes, that would be sweet.

The territory outside the camp was picturesque. Rare beams of sun flowed down from the sky, bathing the trees in golden light. It reflected off the snow covered ground, making the individual flakes glitter. Sageclaw continued out through the entrance tunnel, allowing his daydream to continue for a few blissful moments, before coming to a halt just as the undergrowth began to thicken. Compared to the density of what had once been ThunderClan's forest, it still seemed to lack the cover he required for hunting. He stared straight down at the ground as the sunlight streamed onto his chest. Just one second of peace and quiet was all he needed to regain his cool. It had been lost scarily quickly.

But when he tried to think about the job he'd been sent out to do, his mind went blank. _I have to find Reedshade… I think._ He considered it, before nodding. Yes, he was certain, but how exactly was he meant to find her? Shellstorm had sent him out without any useful information. He hadn't even mentioned where she'd been last. _Why has he entrusted me with this kind of task? Reedshade is his mate!_

Slowly, Sageclaw lowered his nose down to the ground and sniffed, searching for any evidence of the she-cat's scent on the wind. He could smell Foxflame's patrols, strong and fresh, but nothing that belonged to Reedshade. He hadn't expected to pick her up straight away, but still, it had been worth a try. He padded forward, making his way slowly around the area, all the while taking in the smells of the surrounding shrubs and bushes. Nothing.

He continued like this, picking his way around trees and other plants. His paws crunched loudly in the compact snow, startling whatever prey around him away. If Sageclaw had been hunting, he would've been much more careful not to draw attention to himself, but it didn't matter at all when he was looking for a cat. As he searched, the brown and white tabby went through everything he knew about Reedshade in his head, which wasn't that much. He'd only spoken to her once, when he'd been carrying out an order from Shellstorm. The memory, although short, was surprisingly clear. It hadn't been his proudest moment. She'd defended him against her own mate, telling him to stop his taunting about the attack. Why she'd done that, he still didn't know.

Sageclaw recalled her words at the time. ' _Please, Shellstorm! Don't treat him so harshly, at least not this time. For me.'_

Eventually, the tom came to the edge of a line of short trees. The plants had begun to turn into reeds as he neared, and the ground had become increasingly marshy, telling him that he was approaching a stream. He poked his head through a gap in the branches to see that he was right. Just in front of him, a wide but shallow channel of water flowed towards the lake downstream. To his surprise, it wasn't frozen. The sudden burst of sunlight in Leafbare appeared to have benefited RiverClan greatly. He craned his neck up, wondering whether any fish would be swimming in the water. There was, and a great many in fact. Shoals of minnows swam close to the surface, along with occasional juicy looking trout. Sageclaw was just about to pad over to the bank, when suddenly, he realised another cat was already there, a few foxlengths to his left. He jumped back into the cover of the bushes in surprise. The shock passed quickly however, when he realised who it was.

Reedshade was sat by the water's edge, staring into the ripples of the stream. Her body was completely still, and her eyes were unblinking. Sageclaw felt bewildered by her lack of movement. He stepped a little deeper into the undergrowth so as to conceal himself further from view. _What's she doing?_ he wondered.

There were a few moments of silence where nothing happened, then suddenly, a movement in the water upset the calmness of the stream. With it, the she-cat's eyes twitched and she leaned over the surface a little more. It was at this that Sageclaw realised what was going on. Reedshade was fishing.

Instantly, his ears pricked up with interest. He had only seen a RiverClan cat fish once, and it had been incredibly brief. Learning to fish would be extremely helpful for his hunting, and this could be the perfect time to get an idea of how to do it. With all the importance of his job forgotten, Sageclaw shifted himself to get a better view of what she was doing.

The first thing he noticed was that the she-cat was positioned in a way that her shadow wasn't cast over the water, so that it wouldn't disturb the swimming fish. Sageclaw made a mental note of it, just as Reedshade began to move her paws closer to the water. Her claws were unsheathed, and her muscles were tense with anticipation. The tom also saw that her blue eyes were fixed on a single fish in the water. A trout.

Suddenly, Reedshade stopped what she was doing and frowned. She glanced over her shoulder, right towards the patch of shrubs where Sageclaw was standing. He blinked. Surely she wasn't able to see him from there?

The tense quiet continued, before finally, she turned back around and re-concentrated her attention on the prey. Sageclaw breathed out a sigh of relief.

But now, Reedshade wasn't going to let anything distract her. The trout was still swimming in exactly the same place. It had hardly moved due to the current upstream. He assumed that it made the fish a sitting duck. Surely if she just reached in to the water she'd catch it? Nevertheless, she continued the odd staring contest, still not moving, still not speaking.

Then suddenly, a splash echoed out across the bank. Sageclaw looked on in shock as Reedshade's hooked claws shot into the water with the speed of lightning, hooking the trout up into the air. She dropped into a crouch, before leaping up and catching it in mid air, closing her jaws around the helpless prey. It flapped and struggled around in her mouth for a moment, before she bit into it's neck, killing it instantly.

There'd hardly been time for Sageclaw to blink. It was all over so quickly, and similar to him, the trout hadn't been able to react in time. The efficiency of the process was impressive.

Reedshade purred loudly, dropping her catch on the ground beside her. She licked the moisture left from the hunt off her paws, before grooming her whiskers happily. The slave couldn't help but appreciate how attractive she looked for a second, with the rays of sunlight spilling down onto her pelt. Yet another reason to feel aggrieved towards Shellstorm.

Once she'd finished grooming, the she-cat turned her head back in the direction of the trees. 'You can come out now, whoever you are,' she called out. 'I know you're there.'

Sageclaw winced. _Mousedung,_ he thought, _how did she see me?_ He looked around at his paws, checking to see if he'd accidentally broken any twigs, but they all appeared intact. In spite of himself, the tom continued to stay still, hoping that Reedshade was somehow talking to a different cat.

But when the she-cat stepped forward again, and repeated herself, he decided it was pointless. Slowly, he stepped out of his hiding place and into the sun. Reedshade eyes widened as he did so.

'You!' she said, sounding surprised. 'What are you doing here?'

Sageclaw shuffled his paws awkwardly. 'Looking for you,' he told her

She tilted her one side, as if unsure why he would be doing something like that, but then it seemed to dawn on her. 'Shellstorm sent you didn't he?'

He nodded slowly. For some reason, Reedshade's voice had turned frosty at the mention of her mate.

The she-cat sniffed, padding closer until she was within a foxlength of him. 'Why didn't he come himself?' she asked.

'I don't know,' Sageclaw replied. 'He didn't even give me the order himself.'

'That sounds typical of him.'

'It does?' From what he'd seen of Shellstorm so far, he certainly didn't seem like a cat who would shy away from giving an order, more like one who relished it.

She sighed. 'Well, at the moment anyway.'

Sageclaw frowned. _What's she talking about? At the moment?_ He wanted to ask her, but somehow he doubted that she'd want to tell a slave about it. Instead, he kept his mouth shut.

Reedshade shook herself and looked up. The cheerful expression on her face was clearly forced. 'So why were you watching me?' she questioned.

'I told you,' he said. 'Shellstorm sent me to find you.'

'Then why did you stay hidden for so long?'

'It doesn't matter.'

'Maybe not for you,' Reedshade retorted. 'But I'd prefer to know why a strange tom that I've only met once was watching me through a bush.'

'I wasn't stalking you, if that's what you mean,' Sageclaw said coldly. His tail thudded on the ground at the suggestion.

'Then why?' she demanded, glaring at him. Sageclaw gazed back, forcing himself not to blink. He didn't want to be the first to look away, but he sensed neither did she.

Finally, it was him who gave in. 'If you must know, I was trying to find out how you catch fish,' he admitted, looking down at his paws.

Reedshade didn't say anything, although she looked like she wanted to. Sageclaw couldn't tell what she was thinking about, and he didn't dare try to figure it out. He carried on avoiding any eye contact.

Eventually, she sat down on her haunches. 'You still don't know how?' she said.

The tomcat raised his head. He hadn't been expecting her to say something like that. There was a sympathetic look on her face, one that seemed out of place, but all too familiar.

'No,' he muttered, feeling ashamed that he didn't.

Sageclaw had hoped that she'd drop the matter after that, but unfortunately, she didn't. The she-cat reached forward and nudged him with her muzzle, a kind smile on her face. 'I can show you how, if you want,' she offered.

He looked at her incredulously. _What's her problem?_ he thought. _Why isn't she like the other RiverClan cats?_ Her attitude confused him. There wasn't any other cat in the Clan who he'd met who was like her. She'd willingly defended him against her own mate, and now this? It was like she didn't understand that he was a slave.

'Why would you do something like that for me?' he asked suspiciously.

Reedshade looked at him, bemused. 'I'm just being nice…' she hesitated. 'I know not many other cats are to you, so I might as well be.'

Sageclaw searched for any sarcasm or hostility that may have been in her eyes, but all he saw was genuine sincerity. It had been a long time since he'd seen something like that from a cat, let alone one from a different Clan. It struck him that Reedshade must be quite naive. A slave didn't receive that sort of kindness from anyone.

But there was no way he was going to pass up an opportunity to learn how to fish. A skill like that would help immensely.

'Okay,' he said, getting up to his paws. 'Teach me.'

Reedshade stood up as well; this time, the cheerfulness didn't look forced. 'Great!'

The she-cat trotted back over to the stream, where she stopped and gestured for him to look into the water. Sageclaw followed her warily, still not entirely certain. She may have been friendly, but he didn't trust her. Not one bit.

Upon closer inspection, the stream was deeper than he'd thought. If he stood in the middle, the water would've reached up to his shoulders. It was pristine though, and still full of fish. Apparently unperturbed by the killing of the trout, they swam carelessly, close to the clear and untouched surface.

'The first thing you need to do is pick a fish,' she informed him. 'Don't concentrate on a large group, just one, and since you've never fished before it's probably best if you start off small.'

Sageclaw glanced over the amount of prey before him. After a moment, his eyes settled on a small minnow in the shallows a fair distance away from the rest of it's shoal. He nodded at Reedshade, telling her which one he'd chosen.

She leaned in closer to whisper in his ear, 'Good. Now, you have to be patient. Get as close to the stream as possible, without disturbing it. It will swim away faster than you can say fish.'

He registered her words silently, before creeping closer to the water's edge. Sageclaw remembered how unmoving Reedshade had been when he'd watched her fishing earlier, and he tried to imitate her. The minnow kept moving, completely oblivious to the cats above it. He stopped just before the tips of his paws touched the water, where he glanced back at the cat who was teaching him.

'You saw me earlier, right?' she whispered again. 'Getting the technique right takes awhile, but it's fairly simple to explain. It's all about speed. Lower you paw to the surface, and before the fish notices, scoop it out with your claws. Don't bother trying to catch in the water- the most important part is just getting it onto land, and then killing it is easy.'

Sageclaw stared at the minnow, before reaching out until he was just above it. Still, the fish didn't notice him. The anticipation made him shiver.

Then, Reedshade broke the tension. 'Now!'

He shoved his paw into the water, a little ungracefully. Without hesitation, the minnow began to swim further into the depths of the stream. He hooked his claws upwards, trying to scoop it out like Reedshade had instructed him to do, but within seconds, his prey was already gone. He'd missed his catch.

Sageclaw withdrew himself, shaking the water droplets that had splattered over his pelt. The tom pounded the ground in frustration. 'Foxdung!' he said angrily. 'I nearly had it!'

Reedshade just shrugged. 'I didn't expect you to catch something first time,' she explained. 'Fishing is very difficult to master. It takes some cats moons to get it right, but for your first attempt, that wasn't bad. You just needed to be a bit quicker.' She flicked him with her tail. 'Try again.'

They carried on practising fishing for a long time, until the brief hours of sun had passed. The sky returned to the usual grey colour of Leafbare and whatever heat may have been present disappeared. Reedshade was a friendly but efficient teacher, ensuring that he knew everything he could and always giving him ways to improve. Sageclaw still felt skeptical of her true motives. There must have been another reason for her to be helping a slave, but whatever it might be, he was grateful for it. Time passed swiftly, and he found himself getting closer and closer to catching a fish, but they still managed to escape his grasp every time. He was convinced he was going to catch a minnow, at least one, by the end of the day, but he had no luck. It was nowhere near sundown when Reedshade stepped back from the stream.

'I think that's enough for now,' she said, glancing up at the sky. 'Shellstorm will probably be worrying about me.

Sageclaw's eyes narrowed. He wanted to carry on, but he knew that Reedshade was right. He could come out and practise fishing another time, but the job he'd been assigned needed to be completed. Dipping his head in agreement, the she-cat took the lead in heading back to camp.

As they padded through the undergrowth, Sageclaw found himself looking at the RiverClan warrior curiously. Her brown and white pelt was smooth, and had the sheen of a cat who took pleasure in their appearance, but she didn't boast the swagger of someone like her mate. There was a shy air about Reedshade, a naivety that he'd picked up on earlier. It was almost like she wasn't aware of how attractive she was. It was colder now, and the snow beneath their paws crunched louder than ever, but it didn't seem to bother her. If there was one thing he'd learnt today it was that she was certainly the most friendly RiverClan cat he'd met so far.

Slowly, the she-cat turned her head towards him upon noticing that he was looking at her. Was that a hint of a blush on her cheeks? 'You're watching me again,' she said, sounding embarrassed.

Sageclaw blinked. 'Sorry,' he apologised, diverting his gaze away from her.

They followed the path back that Sageclaw had used to find her. His scent was easy to find, and soon enough, they found themselves at the entrance tunnel to the camp. Something cold landed on his nose, and he looked up at the sky to see that it had started snowing again. Only lightly, but it was inevitable that it would get stronger.

'Well,' he said, addressing Reedshade. 'Thanks for teaching me about fishing. I really appreciate it.'

She smiled at him warmly. 'No problem.'

The she-cat began to pad towards the tunnel, leaving him standing on his own. Suddenly, he remembered about a question he'd intended to ask her.

'Wait a second!' Sageclaw called out. 'Just one more thing.'

Reedshade paused and twisted round to look at him again. It struck him that she looked hopeful. 'Yes?' she said.

'Why didn't Shellstorm just come out and find you himself?' he inquired. 'He is your mate, after all.'

Instantly, her face fell. 'Oh…' she mumbled, looking uncomfortable.

'It's fine if you don't want to tell me,' Sageclaw said, more out of politeness than anything. He really wanted to know. 'It's just that it seems a little strange for him to ask a slave to do it, don't you think?'

Reedshade whisked her tail along the ground nervously. 'I guess it would,' she replied. 'It's nothing important though. Shellstorm and I just had a bit of fight.'

 _Did you now?_ The thought that the deputy's love life wasn't going as perfectly as he'd assumed made Sageclaw want to smirk. He had to force himself not to. 'I'm sorry,' he apologised gleefully.

Luckily, Reedshade didn't seem to notice. 'It's not your fault,' she answered, shaking her head. 'I'm sure you know how Shellstorm is. He's very controlling.'

At this, the tom felt a prickle of interest tugging at his side. He wondered what she meant by that. Of course, he knew that Shellstorm liked control and authority better than anyone, but was he like that to his mate as well? He recalled their previous encounter. Even then, they had been quarrelling over something.

Reedshade coughed. She was clearly desperate to change the subject. 'You know, we still haven't been formally introduced,' she stated matter of factly. 'I'd like to know your name.'

Now, it was Sageclaw's turn to feel uncomfortable. He tapped the ground with his front claw. 'I don't see why you'd want to.'

'Oh come on,' Reedshade said imploringly. 'After everything I've done for you today, you won't even tell me that?'

He grunted, trying to keep a straight face, but he couldn't help feeling guilty. She was right. Reedshade had just revealed something personal to him about her mate, and it seemed churlish not to.

'Fine,' he sighed. 'My name is Sageclaw.'

Reedshade nodded. 'It's been a pleasure to meet you Sageclaw,' she said, sounding pleased.

For some odd reason, the tom felt like something was slipping through his paws. He wanted to ask her another question, one that was right on the tip of his tongue, but it wouldn't quite come out. In the end, he just watched as the she-cat slipped through the tunnel and into the camp.

He followed her in a few brief moments later. He didn't want any RiverClan cats to suspect that he and Reedshade had been talking together, since it was fairly obvious that they wouldn't approve. The camp looked eerily different than it had the last time he'd been there, when all the dens had been bathed in sun. The snowflakes, which were already getting larger as they came down, offered a sharp contrast. Sageclaw made his way over to the slave's den, as he'd grown accustomed to doing, and peered inside. He was hoping to find Foxflame, but the ginger she-cat was nowhere to be seen.

'Stupid RiverClan fishbrains!'

The recognisable voice echoed into his ears. Quickly, he turned around to see Foxflame padding away from the patrol that she'd just finished. He stood up, alert and ready. Finally he was going to be able to confront her.

'That was one of the worst patrols I've ever been on,' she grumbled, as she came over. 'They literally did nothing. Usually at least one of them has the dignity to do _some-'_

'I need to talk to you,' he interrupted, mid-rant. 'And this time, if you have any other jobs, you can tell them to go and eat dirt.'

Foxflame stopped and looked at him strangely. 'StarClan, what's up with you?'

'Nothing's up with me,' he told her. 'What's important is what's up with you.'

She just rolled her eyes. 'Look, whatever it is, I'm really tired at the moment.'

Sageclaw ground his teeth together. He couldn't be bothered to wait anymore. 'I heard you two days ago, with the tom,' he said bluntly.

Foxflame froze. Her eyes widened to the size of moons, and her mouth dropped open in shock. For what had to be the first time in her life, she was genuinely speechless. Sageclaw, on the other paw, felt like cheering until his voice went. _Finally, I have her attention!_

He glanced round her shoulder, just to check that no RiverClan cats were looking. When he looked back, he saw that Foxflame's lip was trembling. He was taken back by the sudden rush of emotion in her eyes. Apprehension, confusion, but most prominently, fear.

'I don't think-' she stammered. 'I don't think we should talk about this with everyone watching.'

Sageclaw quickly stepped aside and let her pass into the slave's den. He recognised that the she-cat wasn't in a good state. She must've been bottling everything inside her for days now, and him finally mentioning it to her was a signal to let it all go. Feeling a burst of sympathy, he ducked inside after her.

Foxflame went straight over to her nest and sat down, staring blankly at the ageing feathers around her. Sageclaw moved his own a little closer. The cat who was usually so proud and confident looking downcast was a gut wrenching sight. He wanted to reach over with his tail and tilt her head up again, tell her it was alright, even if it wasn't.

'Foxflame,' he whispered, struggling to keep his own voice calm. 'Do you want to tell me what happened?'

She sniffed, before pulling herself up in her nest and glaring at him. Her face was still contorted with sadness, but it was good to see a flash of the usual fieriness. 'I'm still not sure it's any of your business,' she snapped.

Sageclaw almost laughed. 'You can't be serious. Just take me through it Foxlame,' he paused. 'I now we don't always see eye to eye, but I think of you as a friend. Even if that isn't mutual.'

For a moment, he thought that he actually saw her smile. 'Nope, it definitely isn't mutual.'

Sageclaw smiled back, but Foxflame's sigh made him stop. 'It's been going on for awhile, actually,' she said, 'ever since the first moon that we got here. It started off as just a weird conversation, but it got worse. A lot worse. Two days ago, he cornered me when I was coming back from hunting. How much did you hear?'

'Most of it,' he replied.

'Then you'll never that he's a complete creep, and a foxheart at that!' she snarled ferociously, bitterness edging her voice.

Sageclaw found himself not wanting to ask her, but he knew that he had to. 'Foxflame, who is the tom?'

The ginger she-cat remained silent for a second, her ears flattened against the sides of her head. But then, she seemed to give in to her resolve.

'It's Shellstorm.'

* * *

 **Whelp, that happened. Somehow, I managed to leave this Sageclaw chapter on ANOTHER cliffhanger, which I wouldn't usually do, but the chapter was already so long that I felt like I had to end it there. Hope you enjoyed it though.**

 **Make sure to leave a review and tell me what you think! If you do, I'd be interested to see what you guys think of Reedshade, and whether you suspected Shellstorm to be the tom Foxflame was with. :)**


	12. Chapter 11: Eaglefang

**Author's Note: Hey guys, and welcome back to Slaves.**

 **For anyone who rightfully demands an explanation as to where I have been during the past month and a half, the answer is on a notice on my profile page. My laptop may or may not have broken due to the dropping of a glass of water, which meant I couldn't get online for ages. All I can do is apologise, and say that hopefully it will be fixed soon. :(**

 **Nevertheless, you still left some awesome reviews! Here are my replies:**

 **Raven that flies at night- Thanks for your review! I was hoping it would be unexpected. :D**

 **Shiverdream of WindClan- Thanks you so much for your review! I really appreciate it, and yeah, Shellstorm really is arrogant isn't he? When I started writing, I genuinely didn't mean for him to turn up such a mousebrain, but there you go. :P**

 **PopCat- Thanks for your review! And yep, it's certainly good Sageclaw and Reedshade are getting along.**

 **Maplebreeze of MountainClan- Awww thank you so much for an awesome review! I'm glad to know you like Eaglefang and Palewhisper- since this chapter is from their POVs, I think you'll really enjoy it! Thanks for a great suggestion (which may just wriggle it's way into this chapter XD), and in answer to your question, it's been about two moons since ThunderCln was destroyed. Taking into account this chapter, probs about two moons and a half.**

 **Gramatically Correct- Wow, such a detailed review! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Yeah, I was a little worried about Reedshade being considered a Mary Sue, but don't worry, you'll read more about her slightly less flattering traits later on the story. On, and loving the pun at the end! :)**

 **Yellowfang- Thanks so much for your review! And yep, Shellstorm really is a jerk right? My least favourite cat is tied between three characters: Spottedleaf, Squirrelflight and Dovewing. These three just annoy the shit out of me, for reasons I'll probs go and explain in a list on my profile at some point. :)**

 **So in this chapter, we return to WindClan, with Eaglefang and Palewhisper. I left a little something unexpected at the end of this one, an extract from Palewhisper's POV! I decided it time for some change.**

 **Hope you enjoy it, and please RR!**

* * *

 _ **Slaves:**_

 **Chapter Eleven:**

Palewhisper's expression was solemn. Although she was sat up in her nest, it struck him that that she looked more asleep than anything else, with her eyes closed and her ears twitching like they were. The she-cat hadn't noticed him at the entrance yet, and Eaglefang didn't see it necessary to disturb her. He was only checking up on her, after all.

The brown tom had just finished up another job, clearing out the dirty bedding from the nursery. It hadn't been very fun; the queens were even snappier than usual, worried about the threat of disease that Leafbare always brought. One of the kits had been taken to Ryesong with a fever, which could easily develop into Whitecough. After finally satisfying them, Eaglefang had decided to make sure that Palewhisper was alright.

He sighed. It was mousebrained that he was even here. Surely Palewhisper could survive for a few heartbeats without him... right? There were times when the she-cat looked as fit and healthy as anyone, and others where she hardly looked sane at all. For the latter, it was often after she'd woken up, as bad dreams still kept he sleepless.

That was what bothered him the most. Eaglefang had realised by now that these were no ordinary nightmares. To be so frequent, they had to be the result of a greater, more divine power. A prophecy from StarClan perhaps? A damning message from the Dark Forest? And of all cats to burden with visions, why Palewhisper? Surely she had suffered enough from the attack already.

Ryesong was preying on his mind as well. It was almost as if the medicine cat was toying with him. She knew something about the dreams, more than she'd told him the last time they'd talked. She claimed she could help them, but Eaglefang didn't trust. He didn't trust anyone from WindClan at all.

Palewhisper still hadn't moved. He continued to watch her silently, strong emotions resonating inside his body. He felt helpless, knowing that he couldn't her as much as he wanted, and bizarrely, a little guilty. Only StarClan knew why.

The tom dragged his gaze away from his fellow slave and back out to the camp. The snow underneath his paws crunched as he turned, cold and rough to the touch. Eaglefang could spend much time dwelling on his own issues. He still had work to do, in particular, collecting prey for the elders.

Shaking himself, he begun to pad across the clearing towards the fresh-kill pile, hoping that the job would serve as an ample distraction. It was striking how little prey was left, with just a few scrawny rabbits making up what was increasingly dubious to be described as a "pile". Eaglefang selected two medium sized pieces, deciding that giving them anything too stringy would be seen as an insult. They were old and a lot crankier towards him than the ThunderClan elders were, although that was partly down to large and unspoken reasons.

It seemed that the job had proven itself as a distraction, maybe even too good a one. The tom didn't notice the out of place scent until he was right at the entrance to the den. As soon as it hit his nostrils, he withdrew in disgust. The revolting smell had taken him by surprise. It tasted of dank, dark and dusty things and places. But it wasn't just that. There was something else, just as sinister, lurking in the air. He couldn't tell what it was, but the first scent? Oh yes, he knew it was. The scent of death.

For a moment, Eaglefang was too taken back to react. His paws had gone numb, though he wasn't sure whether it was down to the scent or simply the cold. He sniffed again, just to check he wasn't crazy, but the horrible smell was unmistakable. Someone inside the elder's den was dead.

He didn't know what to do. Should he call for help? Alert Gorsestar or Sandpelt? Eaglefang opened his mouth to do just that, but then, something else occurred to him. There were only two elders in WindClan, and one of them may have still been alive. One of them might need his help. Ryesong would probably know best as to what to do in this situation, but Eaglefang felt a bizarre responsibility to help the elders. No matter how much he hated WindClan, it was part of the warrior code to protect those that were vulnerable.

He took a deep breath and peered into the den, not daring enough to walk inside out of fear of what might confront him, and he was right to be apprehensive. Two cats lay in their nests, eyes closed, but Eaglefang could tell that only one of them was awake. At first he wasn't sure which was which, but then one of the them, a long and slender brown she-cat, stirred. He'd forgotten the elder's name, but he knew he had to warn her. It still wasn't clear how her denmate had died.

'Hey,' Eaglefang called, trying not to sound too urgent. 'Wake up.'

The she-cat grunted, and rolled over in her nest, but didn't open her eyes. He raised his voice a little, but still, no answer. _For StarClan's sake,_ he thought frustratedly. _Get up!_

Eaglefang poked his nose in further and sniffed, hoping to identify what the other scent was amongst the musty smells of the den. It lingered in the air like a cloud of smoke, instinctively making his hair stand on end, but he couldn't quite place where he'd smelled it before. Either way, he knew it was dangerous, and since the mousebrained elder wasn't waking up on her own, he was going to have to go in himself.

Nervously, Eaglefang edged his way inside. The scent of death was so intoxicating it made him want to vomit. He stared at the lifeless tom to one side pitifully, wishing he would just get up and tell him everything was okay. It would serve him an awful lot of trouble.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally reached the she-cat. Tension made his legs feel like water. Eaglefang nudged her muzzle with his own as gently as he could. If there was one thing he didn't want to do in this situation, it was alarm her.

Then, realisation struck him as suddenly as a lightning bolt. In a split second, he knew what the strange, rotting scent was. Something he'd hoped he would never have to smell again.

Unfortunately, the elder seemed to have the same idea. Her eyes widened with shock, and upon seeing the limp figure of the dead tom in the corner, it transformed into horror.

'Greencough!' she screamed. 'Branchcall's dead!'

Eaglefang winced. He should've anticipated her reaction; it was stupid that he hadn't. Quickly, he clasped his paw over her mouth in an attempt to muffle her voice, but it was already too late. Eaglefang could hear a commotion building outside. Obviously, they'd heard the elder's cry. One of them shouted out, asking if she was alright.

The brown tom pulled the she-cat to her paws and ushered her over to the entrance. They were still in danger, and Eaglefang knew they would have to get out of the den unless they wanted to catch Greencough themselves. A large group of warriors were stood out in the snow, each trying to find out what was happening. One of them, Slatefrost, shoved his way forward, but Eaglefang blocked his path.

The warrior glared at him furiously. 'Get out of my way slave!' he snarled.

'No,' Eaglefang retorted. 'There's Greencough in there-'

'What in StarClan's name is going on?'

The familiar voice of Gorsestar made all of them freeze. He was padding over with Sandpelt at his side, tail lashing from side to side. The crowd parted to let him and the deputy get through. He eyed the elder and Slatefrost warily, ignoring Eaglefang.

'Explain,' he said, gesturing towards Slatefrost.

The grey tom shrugged, clearly uncomfortable under the piercing gaze of his leader. 'Don't ask me Gorsestar. We just heard screaming, something about Branchcall.'

The leader continued to stare at Slatefrost for a moment, before finally turning away. 'What happened?' he asked, his voice a little softer when addressing the elder.

She shook her head, looking like she might collapse if a gust of wind hit her. 'Branchcall,' she whimpered. 'H- he's dead. Greencough.'

A flicker of emotion passed over Gorsestar's face, a mixture of surprise and worry. Eaglefang didn't blame him. Greencough in Leafbare was a fatal combination.

For awhile, the WindClan leader didn't move a muscle, apparently at loss as to what to do. Sandpelt sensed her leader was struggling to make a decision, and opened her mouth to speak, but then, Gorsestar broke out of the stupor.

'Get Ryesong,' he commanded, uneasiness evident in his voice. 'We can't do anything without her.'

The deputy nodded, and hurried over to the medicine cat's den. She returned accompanied by Ryesong, who after being briefed of what had taken place, ducked into the elder's den. The gathered warriors watched anxiously for her verdict.

Eaglefang felt an unexpected wave of nausea. He'd encountered Greencough twice in his lifetime, back in ThunderClan. When he was still a kit in the nursery, one of the apprentices had caught the disease. He hadn't understood what had happened to her in the end, but the second time, it would've been better if he still didn't. Half the nursery had been wiped out, and the idea of Greencough being in the same camp as he was set him on edge.

The twigs around the elder's den rustled, and Ryesong re-emerged. If her expression was anything to go by, then WindClan were in for a hard Leafbare. She whispered something into Gorsestar's ear, who grunted, and stepped forward to address the warriors.

'Unfortunately, what Chivedash says is true,' he announced gravely. 'Branchcall is dead.'

A wail of anguish echoed from the crowd, followed by shocked and afraid whispers.

'The cause of death was definitely Greencough,' he added, raising his voice over those of his warriors. 'Ryesong sees it fit to close off the elder's den for the moment, in order to the prevent-'

The voices of the surrounding WindClan cats rose to such an extent that the leader's speech was totally lost. Eaglefang watched on hopelessly as they shouted out in fear.

'How did none of use realise?'

'How long has he been dead?'

'What if the disease spreads?'

'We can't afford any weakness, not with RiverClan stealing our prey!'

Eaglefang glanced up at Sandpelt and Gorsestar, expecting them to intervene, but they couldn't regain the attention of the crowd. Incredulity merged with disbelief. _Had they really lost control?_

* * *

 _The scents and colours of the forest wash over her as she pads through the undergrowth. Lush green grass covers the ground, and bright sunbeams burst through the branches of the trees, spilling across her pelt and reflecting into her eyes. She blinks and looks away, but it doesn't bother her. What could possibly bother her in a place as beautiful as this?_

 _She has been walking for days now. Moons. Seasons. Walking through the forest, learning all the secrets it has to hide. She loves it, more than anything she could possibly imagine. If she is given the choice, she will continue to walk through the forest until there was nothing more to explore. And then, she will return to her camp, where all her friends and family will be waiting for her. Skystar, Willowflight, and Eaglefang. Especially Eaglefang. They will be smiling, and waiting._

 _Suddenly, she comes to a halt, and breathes in the forest air. It's such a beautiful day, she thinks. How lucky I am for this place to be my home._

 _Somewhere distant and faraway, a noise echoes. Her ear pricks up, alerting her to the incessant sound. It sounded tinny and shrill, but it doesn't come again, so she takes no notice and pads on. I'll never leave this place, she thinks. Nothing will ever take me away._

 _The noise comes again, louder this time, and seemingly closer. Like something is approaching. A little wary now, she turns around, staring back at the bushes behind her. She listens carefully, hoping to identify what the noise belongs to. It's changed now, like a hundred voices joined together in an angry crescendo._

 _Slowly, she begins to back away from the noise, shaking her head in denial. The noise is still increasing in volume: she can hear some of the individual voices now. They seem to be calling her name. She breaks out into a run, fleeing the noises in her head._

 _No, she screams. You can't take me! This is my home!_

A burning light jolted Palewhisper awake. She gasped in desperation, reaching forward for the forest once more, but it was all out of reach. It was always out of reach.

The part of the den where she lay was consumed by shadows. Only a small, limited burst of light seeped in from outside. Her nest was in the corner as it was one of the only places in the den that was still relatively warm. The rest had the same biting chill as the Leafbare snow. Palewhisper peered around to see if anyone was in the den with her, but there wasn't. She was alone.

Glancing down at her side, she saw claw marks littering the floor. Bits of moss and feathers lay scattered around her. She must have done it all awhile she was sleeping. The thought of the forest in her dreams made her close her eyes again. All she wanted to do was return to where she belonged, not stay in this den. She imagined floating away, soaring as free as a bird on the wind. She imagined what it would be like to feel the grass underneath her paws for real.

The memory of a deep shade of red in her mind. At least she hadn't had that dream.

Shuddering violently, Palewhisper shuffled back into the remnants of her nest and curled up into a ball, tail thudding against her side. _Oh StarClan_ , she prayed silently, _can't you make them go away?_ A single glance from the bloodied cats was enough to strike terror in her heart.

She needed him now. The one cat she trusted more than anything.

'Eaglefang?' she whispered, her voice cracking. 'Are you there?'

She knew no reply would come, though through the impending silence, she finally noticed the large group of voices coming from in the camp. They sounded similar to those she'd heard in the forest. Where they what woke her up?

Stifling her whimpers, Palewhisper untangled herself from the ruined moss and dragged herself over to the entrance of the den. A small blizzard was throwing large amounts of snow into the air, making it difficult to see. She could only just make out the shapes of a few cats stood around of the dens. They were discussing something that appeared to be of great importance. The she-cat didn't know what they were saying, and it didn't bother her. All that seemed important was finding Eaglefang. _Is he there?_ she thought. _Is he with the group?_

Almost as if they'd heard her, the cats started to disperse. Several of them dashed off to their respective dens, desperate to get out of the cold, whereas others padded slower with each other, talking in a slightly panicked fashion. Palewhisper's light blue eyes darted between them, searching for a dark brown tabby pelt.

And there he was! The cat she was looking for! Eaglefang's amber eyes glowed with an expression she couldn't describe, but he certainly didn't look happy. She didn't care though, because she knew that when he was near, nothing could possibly trouble her.

'How long have you been stood there?' the tom asked, when he reached her. 'Not too long I hope?'

Palewhisper shook her head. 'No. I just woke, and I wanted to see you.'

His gaze sharpened. 'It wasn't the nightmare, was it?'

Before the she-cat could answer however, Eaglefang gave her a nudge. 'Don't worry, you can tell me once we've got out of the storm,' he murmured.

He led her back into the slave's den, where she quickly went over to her nest. The tabby shivered, before turning to face Palewhisper. She let the smallest smile escape onto her face, which he returned, but it disappeared when he noticed the torn moss and feathers around their paws.

'You've ruined your nest,' he said, picking up one of the pieces with his claw.

Palewhisper pressed her ears against the sides of her head. 'I'm sorry,' she replied. 'I didn't mean to-'

'No, it's fine,' he cut in. 'It's easily fixed.'

Eaglefang twisted around and padded over to his own nest, about a foxlength away from hers. She watched as he selected some of the largest looking feathers, and then, after he was satisfied, moved back to Palewhisper. He placed them around her hindquarters, making the previously wrecked nest appear respectable again.

'There you go,' he told her, with a tiny flourish. 'Good as new.'

Palewhisper shifted, enjoying the comforting warmth that the new feathers provided. The small act of kindness spoke volumes to her, and she tilted her head up at the tom.

'Thank you,' she mumbled, shuffling closer to him. Eaglefang allowed her to rest against his shoulder, and in response, she began to purr softly. It was an inexplicably gentle moment. Palewhisper could feel her whole body tingling with a sensation she'd experienced all too often, something she'd felt ever since her apprenticeship.

Suddenly, Eaglefang drew away. 'Palewhisper, there's something I should tell you. About what happened outside.'

'Yes?' she replied, not really concentrating,

He sighed. 'There's Greencough in the camp. One of the elders died of it this morning.

Palewhisper's eyes widened as his words sank in. _Greencough?_ she thought. _In the camp?_ The she-cat tried to speak, but Eaglefang interrupted.

'There's no danger to us,' he reassured her. 'Ryseong has closed off the den so that it can't spread, and the elder has already been taken for burial.'

'What if it does spread though?' she whispered. 'What if it gets into our den?'

'It wont,' Eaglefang answered, pulling her closer again. 'I promise you.'

Despite the tom's strong, determined words, Palewhisper felt adamant that there was something he wasn't telling her. That some way, some how, he was still trying to protect her. She had been aware of it for quite a long time now, since the day when they'd gone out looking for RiverClan on the hills. She was compelled to ask him about it, but in the end chose not to. He seemed relieved.

Abruptly, Eaglefang got up to his paws. The frown on his face reflected his unease.

'I think it would be better if we both got some rest,' he muttered. 'I'm shattered, so you probably are too.'

Palewhisper hesitated. He really didn't look very good. She knew how hard Eaglefang worked for them, so it was only natural for him to be tired, but it was more than that. For the first time she noticed the sag in his posture and the droop in his tail, yet strangely, she couldn't seem to find the words to repay the favour he always gave her. The she-cat stared at her paws as he left her side, most likely to return to his own nest.

After a moments pause, she copied him, settling down into her nest. She didn't close her eyes though. Palewhisper was scared of going to sleep.

* * *

 **God, you have no clue how hard this chapter was right. There were just constant setbacks, and there were loads of paragraphs that I kept having to rewrite. But anyway, it's finally finished, even if I feel like I probs should have gotten more done. You guys deserve a chapter.**

 **Oh, and a heads up, the next chapter is going to have a LOT happening in it. Including the build up to the first Gathering of the story, which will take place in Sageclaw's chapter.**

 **Still, hope you enjoyed the part from Palewhisper's POV! Please RR!**


	13. Chapter 12: Smoketalon

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, and welcome back to Slaves!**

 **Yep, I know I'm taking my time with this story, but I'm trying my best to churn out these updates asap. I know most of you guys will be sick of hearing that by now, but I am genuinely working at the peak of my writing speed. There are some authors out there who _somehow_ manage to get really long chapters out apparently daily, and I admire them a lot for that. I can only apologise so much! Sorry guys. :(**

 **But your support, as usual, has been totally overwhelming! Here are my replies to your amazing reviews:**

 **Guest: Thanks a lot for your review! I'm glad my mercilessly teasing of ships is paying off. *evil laugh* XD**

 **Cotton Candy Mareep: Wow! Thank you for such a detailed set of reviews! I've never seen someone go into such detail in a review of any story before. Thank you so so much! Oh, and I'll make sure to sort out the "Foxlame" typo. :)**

 **GrammaticallyCorrect: Thank you for your continued support on the story! Don't worry, the Greencough is going to become quite a prominent plotpoint later on, and don't worry, my laptop has survived, albeit barely...**

 **DustyClouds: Thanks for your review! And yeah, undeveloped couples are a real pet-hate of mine, so I always try and develop my romantic couples as much as I can. I'm really flattered you think the story deserves more favs and follows! Honestly, I'm practically blushing. :P**

 **Jordan: Thanks a lot for your review! I'm glad you like Reedshade, and you never know, your dark inference might have an element of truth in it. :)**

 **Starlight's Silver Dance: I really appreciate your continued reviews! Over the next few chapters, I'm planning on including a few more POVs from secondary chapters. In fact, you might even get nearly an entire chapter devoted to Foxflame soon, although only hypothetically of course!**

 **Shira the Mage: Thanks so much for such a thoughtful review! It's cool that you think the plot is unique- I took me AGES to come up with the idea. XD Oh, and if the story you were talking about is Blood Rain, then I definitely wouldn't say it's crappy. Far from it!**

 **So as I mentioned in the AN for the last chapter, this one is going to continue a lot of build up for the Gathering. It's from Smoketalon's POV, and finally, it also starts to expand on his and Aspenpaw's relationship among other things, hence it's plus 5,000 word length.**

 **Hope you enjoy it as always, and p** **lease RR!**

* * *

 _ **Slaves:**_

 **Chapter Twelve:**

A single, rotting brown leaf broke off from the branch it was attached to. It drifted gently in the air, before coming to rest a few foxlengths away from where Smoketalon was sat. It stayed in the camp clearing for several brief moments, and then, the wind blew it off to somewhere else. The last the black tom saw of it was it's stalk disappearing into the forest beyond. It was the final leaf of a tree overshadowing the leader's den, a type which he had often seen in ThunderClan's territory. Of course, it was the only one he'd seen amongst the snow covered pines of ShadowClan.

With a quick shake of his head, the tom turned towards Ivynose. The dark grey queen was "talking" about her Clanmates, though it seemed much more like complaining than anything else. Currently, Adderfang was the subject of her disapproval. Smoketalon didn't blame her for being annoyed with him, as he and Aspenpaw hadn't enjoyed the senior warrior's company in the past. Not that he enjoyed anyone's company, apart from maybe his own.

Two pieces of prey were positioned at their paws, a pair of measly frogs. It was the kind of prey that after two moons he'd been forced to grow accustomed to. Ivynose's was half finished, which was a sharp contrast to Smoketalon, who hadn't started yet. He wasn't quite sure why, as he was starving. Being a slave meant that he ate last, and indeed, usually the least. Call him picky, but despite how acustomed he'd become to it, the idea of a slimy frog remained unappetising.

'-and then, he still forgot to bring any feathers for my nest!' Ivynose said, shaking her head. Her rant had passed on to the equally foxhearted Wolfpaw. 'Can you believe that?'

It crossed Smoketalon's mind to snap back with, _at least you have a nest_. He had to hold his tongue valiantly not to do so.

The queen was about to carry on when she finally noticed the sour look on the slaves face. Her tail twitched. 'Something tells me that I'm boring you.'

He met her gaze, eyes full of sarcasm. 'Something tells me that you're absolutely correct,' he replied dryly.

'Oh come now,' she chided. 'There's no need for that.'

Smoketalon felt a wave of indignation when she nudged him patronisingly. 'You sound like my mother,' he muttered.

Ivynose laughed. 'Well, wouldn't that just be something!'

The tom looked away. He still didn't know how to judge the ShadowClan queen. Usually, he could come up with a good idea of what a cat was like on a first impression, but with her, it wasn't the case. Even the first time they'd spoken, when the she-cat had given up her prey to him for apparently no reason, his judgement had been the same. Ivynose was lonely. Her sons, Nightwhisper and the leader himself Ravenstar, hardly ever visited or even talked to her, for reasons unbeknownst to him. It was something that he was going to have to have to figure out at some point, because one thing he could tell whenever she spoke was that this was a cat who was perfectly aware by the difficulties and hardships of life. Perhaps too aware.

'Hey frogbrain,' Ivynose echoed, interrupting his trail of thought. 'You don't have to sit here you know. If I'm so boring, why don't you just go and find that little gray tom you're always with?'

Smoketalon very nearly smiled. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that she must've been a real pawful when she was a warrior. 'His name is Aspenpaw,' he replied, making sure to emphasise the last word. ''And I wouldn't be sat here unless you'd offered me that frog. _Again,_ ' he added.

She shrugged. 'Whatever. All apprentices are the same: ignorant and annoying.'

'I'm not gonna argue with you on that one,' the tom said, shifting his paws until he was in a more comfortable position. 'Besides, he'd probably ignore me if I spoke to him anyway.'

Instantly, Ivynose's ears pricked up with interest. 'What, have you and the little gray tom fallen out or something?'

He glared at her. 'Please be quiet.'

She continued on as if he hadn't even spoken. 'That kind of thing seems to happy a lot with younger cats,' the queen rasped. 'Always running around, arguing with each other. They never seem to have the time to just sit down and appreciate things-'

'Look,' Smoketalon interrupted, his voice taking on a harsher tone. 'This doesn't concern you, alright?

Ivynose appeared surprised by his burst of aggression for a moment, but then she snorted. 'Take some advice from an older cat Smoketalon- ease up. You don't have to be so hostile all the time, especially not with me. I'm the only ShadowClan cat who'll speak to you without giving an order.'

At this, the slave laughed coldly. 'Believe me when I say I have no intention of easing up for any ShadowClan cat.'

Although he would never have admitted it, there was an element of truth to Ivynose's words. She was the only one who never displayed any hostility towards him because of the Clan he was born in, but nevertheless, Smoketalon still found her infuriating. He had spent quite a lot of time in her company recently. For some reason, it was like he was constantly being told to replace old and dirty nests, which was why he was with Ivynose now, eating under the overhang of the nursery.

Once he'd finished, the tom stood up and licked his lips. 'Well, I guess you want me to say thanks for the prey,' he said bluntly, before hesitating. 'It feels like I'm having to do that a lot.'

She didn't say anything, though Smoketalon could tell she was thinking hard. What she thinking about most likely didn't concern him in the slightest, but the depth of her unflinching stare made him curious. _For StarClan's sake, why are you so difficult to read?_ he thought frustratedly.

Not wanting the already stretched conversation to drag on any longer, he turned around to leave, but just as he did so, Ivynose's voice echoed into his ears once more. 'Smoketalon!' she called.

He paused with a great deal of reluctance. 'What?'

'If you've fallen out with the little gray tom, then I think you should apologise to him pretty quickly.' She sighed. 'I assume that you were one who upset him?'

Smoketalon gritted his teeth loudly. _I don't want your advice,_ he thought. _I shouldn't even be talking to you._ Without another word, he begun to pad away, leaving the she-cat sat by herself.

As the tom padded through the camp, he made sure to stick to the edges of the dens, where the snow still didn't cover the coarse ground. The malignant burden of Leafbare was starting to weigh down everyone in ShadowClan. Prey was becoming ever more scare, with meals like the one he'd just experienced being especially rare. Every moment felt like a sunrise, and every surise felt like a moon. It was ironic, considering it was soon to be three moons since he'd arrived. Tomorrow, in fact. If one looked up at the sky at night now, the moon would be almost full, a sign of the encroaching Gathering. Just to make it worse, they had attacked on the very night of the truce. The ThunderClan patrol had just been about to leave for the island.

But he had learnt by now that thinking about it always made things worse.

 _Foxdung_ , the tom thought. Now that Ivynose had mentioned it, the incessant memory of the issue with Aspenpaw was only niggling more at his conciousness. He didn't want to admit it, but no matter how hard a personality he put on, or how hostile he acted to others, it was terrible to have the apprentice ignore him. Their relationship had always worked the opposite way, as usually, it was _him_ who acted like he didn't care about Aspenpaw. He remembered the time when he'd been injured in the training session with Wolfpaw. On the way back, he'd barely slowed down for him.

Of course, Smoketalon had his own motives for that. And those motives were what Aspenpaw dealt with his indifference before. He understood the agony he'd had to go through-

The agony that _Emberheart_ had forced him to go through.

He blinked. His pawsteps appeared to have unwillingly taken him back to the slave's den. He knew who would be in there, and in a sense, he wasn't surprised he had ended up here. Smoketalon knew that they couldn't keep going on like this. One of them was going to have to apologise, and if Aspenpaw wasn't willing to be the cat, then... then he would just have to swallow his pride.

Taking a deep breath, the tom padded inside, ensuring that his face remained emotionless. He opened his mouth to speak, wanting to get it over with as soon as possible. In a sense, it was an anticlimax, because Aspenpaw wasn't there. His nest was empty, and although traces of his scent lingered, the apprentice himself was nowhere to be seen. Smoketalon frowned. _He was definitely here this morning, and he didn't tell him he had any jobs to do..._

He pressed his paw down on Aspenpaw's nest. It was cold. Clearly, he'd been gone for awhile, but Smoketalon hadn't seen him in the clearing while he was eating. Perhaps he'd left camp?

The slave stayed still for a moment, going over the possibilities in his head. Already though, a small burst of relief was rushing through him. He could just apologise to Aspenpaw whenever he got back. After all, he wasn't exactly looking forward to it.

Feeling bizarrely triumphant, Smoketalon retreated back out into the camp. He still couldn't deny the fact that this whole matter had been caused by Aspenpaw being a mousebrain. It was ridiculous that he was having to take on the reponsibility of sorting out their strange relationship anyway. It wasn't his fault.

The tom felt like he'd been trying to reassure himself of that fact a little too much.

'Well, if it isn't the ThunderClan rat himself!'

The harsh voice ripped through the air, instantly making Smoketalon want to groan. He knew exactly who had spoken, and he'd been lying if he said the name made him leap with joy. Wolfpaw was stretched out opulently nearby, staring at him with a large smirk.

'Come out of your hole to steal some prey, have you?' he taunted loudly.

The black tom bit his tongue, finding it very difficult not to say something back. _There are many insufferable things I'd like to do to you Wolfpaw,_ he thought, _although murder really does leap to mind._

'i would've thought taking an aging queen's fresh-kill was bad enough, but then to come back for more? That's a new low.'

 _And of course, there are many methods of murder too, each even more lethal than the last.-_

'MInd you, I'm guessing the standards for a ThunderClanner are a lot lower than the ones for an honorable cat.'

'Don't you have something better to do with your life than making fun of slaves?' he asked with as much fake politeness as he could muster. Finally, the temptation of making a reply had become too great.

Quickly, Wolfpaw sat up. 'I'd choose your words carefully, foxheart,' he hissed. 'I beat up your little friend, and I could easily beat up you.'

'Oh, you're referring to the time you beat a younger apprentice in a training fight in which he couldn't even fight back?' he retorted sarcastically. 'Well, I'm really intimidated now.'

The ShadowClan apprentice's pelt began to bristle, but he didn't reply immediately. Clearly, he was slightly lost for words. 'I'll get you for saying that!' he blustered. 'My mentor's one of the best warriors in the whole Clan. I'll tell him what you said, and when the other slave gets back to camp, he'll punish both fo you!'

That caught Smoketalon's attention, although for an entirely different reason than Wolfpaw would've wanted. _So Aspenpaw_ did _leave camp,_ he thought. _But why?_

The younger tom took a step closer. 'Didn't you hear what I said?' he demanded. 'I'll tel Addertooth-'

'Thank you very much for your time,' Smoketalon interrupted, giving him a smile of condescending gratitude. 'You've been extremely helpful.'

He spun around and begun to pad away, practically laughing at the shocked and dumbfounded expression on Wolfpaw's face. He didn't look back until he reached the entrance to the camp, whereupon he saw that he truly had left the tom rooted to the spot. _Hopefully that will teach him not to try and mess with me again,_ he thought viciously, before padding out into the pine trees.

Somehow, it nearly always managed to surprise him how different the territories around the lake were. Forests merged into hills and hills into marshes around the enormous expanse of water, almost like StarClan had carved the land out just for them. Even the differences between the two forests were extrremely striking. The canopy of his old home had been so thick that it managed to prevent a large amount of any Leafbare snow from ever reaching the ground, but the pines offered a pitiful replacement to this. So much snow had fallen by this stage that the thick layer of white reached half way up his legs. Every step became an effort, and a journey that previously might have taken a few minutes took an awful lot longer.

He breathed in deeply. Aspenpaw's scent was barely distinguishable against the numerous others, but nevertheless, still distinguishable. It led him upwind, away from the camp and the lakeshore and towards where the Moonpool was. At first, it didn't bother him, but when the scent trail strted to take him to a part of the forest where he'd never been before, confusion started to set in. Where in StarClan's name had Aspenpaw gone?

At the same time, his earlier misgivings about making an apology resurfaced. He didn't want Aspenpaw to think he was a pushover, and that he could keep on doing mousebrained things without any repercussions. That would just get them both in trouble. Although he'd only done it once, his fellow slave needed to learn the boundaries between him and the rest of the ShadowClan cats. They weren't his friends. They were his enemies.

Suddenly, the scent trail came to an abrupt stop. Smoketalon looked around at his surroundings. It appeared to be just another part of the forest. A few tall trees reaching up to the dull, colourless sky, with gnarled shrubs littering the groud around his paws. So why had he stopped here? Smoketalon listened carefully for a sound that might give away Aspenpaw's location, and sure enough, a voice came.

But it didn't belong to the cat he was looking for.

Frowning, he listened again. It was coming from behind a tree several tail lengths away from him. It was young, and undoubtedly masculine, but not the same. He sniffed the air currents again. There was Aspenpaw's scent, but hidden behind it was one that was vaguely familiar. And definitely ShadowClan.

Now a little worried, Smoketalon rushed over to the trunk of tree where he'd heard the voices coming from. A twig snapped, followed by the noise of snow being flung into the air. Quickly, he peered around the edge of the bark, apprehensive and tense.

Aspenpaw was grappling with a dark ginger tom on the ground. The apprentice was pinned to the ground, but fighting back against his opponent, trying to throw him off. Smoketalon's eyes widened. The dark ginger tom was Tanglepaw, the same cat who Aspenpaw had been talking to! He unsheathed his claws, preparing to give the ShadowClan foxheart a first hand introduction to how painful his teeth could be, but then, something he hadn't been expecting happened. Tanglepaw giggled.

'Die Aspenstar!' he yowled. 'I've got you now!'

Smoketalon watched in utter disbelief as Aspenpaw kicked out with his back legs, sending Tanglepaw flying backwards. 'Never!' he shouted back. 'ThunderClan will always be superior.'

The two cats begun to chase each other, laughing out loud with their eyes shining. Smoketalon realised what was happening. _Are they playfighting?_ he thought incredulously. _Has Aspenpaw gone mad?!_

He continued to watch, not quite believing what he was seeing, as Tanglepaw began to swipe at the apparent ThunderClan leader's tail, earning him a kit-like shriek in return. He didn't want to even consider the fact that Aspenpaw could be as foolish as this. After everything he'd told him, after everything he'd _promised_ him, he'd still gone behind Smoketalon's back and made friends with a ShadowClan cat. The idea made his blood boil.

He stepped forward, ready to show himself, but for some reason, he stopped. The sight of the two young cats like that froze him in place. The glint in Aspenpaw's eyes betrayed all kinds of emotions... happiness, joy, delight. Smoketalon hadn't seen him like that for so long, and even he was responsible for the young cat's safety, he didn't feel like he had the rght to interrupt such a pure moment. There was such a naivety in their faces, an innocence untouched by the poisons of the cold life they had been forced to live, and yet he knew Aspenpaw had experienced cruelty. He knew it better than anyone. And in a forest of snow and ice, their silly games were like a fire, burning bigger and brighter than the sun.

Smoketalon stayed quiet for awhile, allowing them to carry on playing. The ThunderClan leader battled the ShadowClan leader for a timeless time, until finally, Aspenpaw was pinned once more. Tanglepaw let out a final and victorious caterwaul. 'ShadowClan have won!' he declared.

The apprentice beneath his paws erupted into purrs. 'Alright, I submit,' he said. 'Now get off, you dumb furball.'

Tanglepaw headbutted him gently, before letting him get back up. He was panting heavily. 'StarClan forgives you, as you were an honorable opponent,' he rasped, in a mock wise voice.

The two toms lowered their voices to whispers, meaning that Smoketalon couldn't make out their conversation. This was almost like a signal to him. He grunted quietly, before slowly stepping out into view, not wanting to waste any more time.

Aspenpaw didn't notice him for a moment, but when their eyes met, an unreadable expression passed over him. Smoketalon couldn't tell if he was annoyed or just simply sad. Tanglepaw was there as well, but it seemed to him that they were the only cats in the whole forest.

The fleeting silence ended when Aspenpaw let out a long sigh. 'You should probably go,' he murmured, adressing Tanglepaw.

The dark ginger tom glanced between them uncomfortably, but didn't protest. He whispered a small goodbye and left heartbeats later, leaving the ThunderClan cats alone.

Smoketalon's tail twitched, whisking across the surface of the snow. He wondered what the best thing was to say. Uneasily, he opened his mouth to speak, but Aspenpaw beat him to it.

'You can't stop me from being friends with him,' he said bluntly. 'Don't waste your breath trying.'

Their gazes locked again, glaring each other down. Many things were shared in the eye contact, much more than could ever be spoken. Eventually, Smoketalon padded over until he was right beside Aspenpaw, and then sat down. He waited with baited breath, wondering if the movement would provoke a reaction, but when none came, he decided to speak.

'You promised me something, Aspenpaw,' he told him. 'You promised me that you wouldn't forgot what we went through. What ShadowClan put us through.'

He anticipated a response, or at least some form of acknowledgement. But still, nothing.

'A promise is meant to mean something,' Smoketalon continued. 'Surely, it isn't something you're supposed to break after a couple of days-'

'I didn't break my promise,' Aspenpaw snapped.

'What?'

Aspenpaw turned his head, amber eyes full of defiance. 'I said that I wouldn't forget about ShadowClan, and I haven't. I still know they destroyed ThunderClan. Me being friends with Tanglepaw doesn't come into it.'

 _Stubborn mousebrain,_ Smoketalon thought, exhaling through his nostrils very slowly. 'Please don't try and be clever with me,' he replied. 'I think you know exactly what you were promising.'

'And what's that?'

'Not to go around trying to make friends with every single ShadowClan cats you come across!' he said, voice rising.

'I haven't!' Aspenpaw returned indignantly. 'Tanglepaw's the only one I've even spoken to.'

Smoketalon shook his head, and looked away. Tiny snowflakes had begun to land around them. It was a sharp reminder of just how cold it was in the pine forest. 'Please, at least try and listen to me. I think at the very least I've earnt your respect.'

An expectant quiet informed him that indeed, this was one thing they agreed on.

He stared at his paws, not wanting to look at Aspenpaw. 'Friends are...' he hesitated. 'Something to be treasured. I'll give you that. But as the warrior code told us, there are some kind of relationships that must know boundaries. This is one of them.

'Having an ally in another Clan can be beneficial sometimes, to your own Clan and yourself. Having anything more than a mere sense of aqaitance is dangerous. The borders that divide us are as clear as day, and they always will be. Even if they are made murky by the mistakes of others.'

'But why?' Aspenpaw burst out. 'Tanglepaw and I aren't doing any harm. We just enjoy each other's company. It's not like we're in love or anything.'

'Of course not,' Smoketalon answered, retaining his cool. 'But you must understand there would be consequences for both of you if this continued. Tanglepaw's Clanmates would treat him differently, a lot differently, if they found out he had been meeting one of us out in the forest. They would only treat us worse.'

He coughed, all of a sudden feeling uncomfortable. 'I want to protect you, Aspenpaw. Maybe I haven't showed it very much since that night, but it's true. StarClan, that's why it's so hard for me to accept this! I feel like you're wasting it. I- I didn't sacrifice what I did for you to waste it all away.'

By the time he'd finished, his voice had become hoarse. Smoketalon was hopeless when it came to sincerity, but he hoped that his counterpart knew what he was getting at. Even if he'd put it in about as clear light as mud.

But then, Aspenpaw managed to surprise him.

The light grey tom reached forward and ever so softly, pressed his muzzle against the side of his cheek. The gesture made him go completely still. Awkwardness tainted the air, but after a few moments passed, Smoketalon whiskers twitched, and he stiffly returned the sign of mutual affection.

'You old mousebrain,' Aspenpaw whispered. 'As if I didn't know that you cared about me. You've proved that a hundred times over, and I really do respect your opinion. It's just that this is a choice I've made myself. I've wanted a new friend for three moons now, and Tanglepaw is that friend.'

Smoketalon opened his mouth to chide him again, but then swiftly closed it. Something told him whatever he said would be worthless. He wanted to protest, there had to be a way he could change his mind after all, but Aspenpaw's words had had the desired effect.

At last, he shook his head in defeat. 'Fine,' he mumbled. 'You win.'

Aspenpaw looked set to let out a loud yelp of joy, but before he could Smoketalon intercepted him. 'But that doesn't mean I'm gonna let you walk all over me on this matter,' he warned. 'You're going to have to be a lot more careful with covering your tracks than you were today. A newborn kit could've tracked you out here.'

The apprentice flattened his ears. 'Sure, sure,' he said impatiently. 'Now can we please go back to camp? It's freezing out here!'

Smoketalon watched in annoyance as Aspenpaw padded straight past him, back through the trees on the path they'd taken to get there. 'Hey!' he shouted. 'I haven't finished yet.'

When the younger cat didn't even look back, he rolled his eyes and dashed through the bushes after him. The only thing he could see of his friend was the tip of his tail, disappearing in the undergrowth.

The sudden burst of adrenaline provided by their running seemed to help clear Smoketalon's mind. It had been so full of concerns and angers, but now, everything had been put into perspective. The weight off his chest was relieving, but worry aimed at Aspenpaw's welfare had renewed itself. He was being asked to keep a big secret, bigger than they would be able to contain for too long. But it didn't appear as much of an obstacle now that the really pressing matter at paw had been cleared up.

And to make things even better, he hadn't actually had to apologise.

When Smoketalon finally caught up with Aspenpaw, the tom had already arrived at the camp, and he was smiling. The endearing glow in his eyes from earlier had returned. 'I'm faster than you!' he exclaimed.

'Really?' Smoketalon replied, thoroughly unimpressed. 'I wonder if this claim would've been made if we'd started at the same time.'

Aspenpaw scoffed. 'Oh, lighten up,' he shot back cheerfully.

The black tomcat flicked him with his tail as he padded past, not letting him see the albeit tiny smile breaking out on his face.

The camp was a lot busier than it was at the time they'd left. Nearly all of ShadowClan were mingling in and around the fresh-kill pile. He glanced upwards, where the leader's den overlooked the clearing. It was usually where Ravenstar made all of his announcements from, and the foxhearted deputy himself was stood there, apparently waiting for his leader. _Looks like we got back just in time for a Clan meeting_ , he thought. _Brilliant_.

Aspenpaw realised the same thing when he entered straight after him. 'We'll sit down over there,' Smoketalon said under his breath, pointing at an empty space on the edge of the crowd, slightly to the left.

They picked their way through the flock of cats, who barely seemed to notice them. Aspenpaw leaned in closer to talk to him as they did. 'Any idea what this is about?' he hissed.

Smoketalon didn't take his eyes off the leader's den. 'I'm guessing Ravenstar's going to announce the cats who are coming to the Gathering tomorrow.'

This made the tom's ears prick up. 'Do you think we'll get to go?'

'Since they didn't take us last time, I'd say it's highly unlikely,' he uttered. 'Besides, why would you want to go?'

They sat down with a hint of wariness. Although the atmosphere created by the ShadowClan cats around them had a positive vibe, anything that involved Ravenstar would often have some kind of nervy or intimidating undertone. Smoketalon glanced around them, wondering if they were as anxious as last time, at the apprentice ceremony. Everything seemed normal at best, although the look on Nightwhisper's face, Ravenstar's brother, was intriguing. He was looking at Emberheart with unrelenting scorn.

Then with the sound of lichen parting, the gossiping faded. Ravenstar asserted his dominance with his usual calmness, bringing the crowd under control effortlessly. You had to admire his leadership, in a way. Who else possessed that sort of authority?

'The cats who are to accompany me and Emberheart to the Gathering are as follows,' he announced, getting straight to the point. 'Bonefur, Nightwhisper, Cedarheart, Duskwing, Whitepool and Wolfpaw.'

The cats started murmuring, discussing the choices that had been made. The leader didn't wait for them to stop. 'In addition, both of the ShadowClan slaves will be coming,' he said.

Immediately, Smoketalon's eyes contracted. _So we are going to attend,_ he thought, with vague scepticism. It seemed that the rest of the Clan had the same idea as well. They were glancing at each other in confusion; some of them even looked angry.

But of course, Ravenstar wasn't in the last bit perturbed. 'At the end of the previous Gathering, I discussed the matter privately with the other leaders, and since we couldn't come to a mutual agreement, it was decided that each Clan would choose on their own whether or not to bring their slaves. And since they are, _technically,'_ he emphasised this word as if it was a physical pain to get out, _'_ a part of ShadowClan, I've decided to take them.'

Aspenpaw shifted beside him. 'As if he thinks that,' he muttered.

Smoketalon shushed him, but he couldn't help but concur with what he'd said. Ravenstar would never do someting out of the kindness of his heart for anyone, let alone them, so there must've been an ulterior motive.

When no one spoke up to protest what he'd said (predictably) the ShadowClan leader nodded, and smirked. 'Good,' he echoed. 'That is all.'

After the black tom had given the signal that they could go, no one was faster to start padding away than the slaves. Smoketalon was cold, and in need of nothig more than the consolation of his nest, Aspenpaw perhaps even more so. An early night seemed in order, especially with the new knowledge of the fact they would have to make the journey to the island tomorrow night. Surely the concept of going to the Gathering was supposed to be exciting, rather than one that filled him with dread.

'Life is such foxdung at the moment,' he complained aloud.

Aspenpaw nodded. 'Yeah, sure is.' He shook out his pelt. 'But come on, we can't get too pessimistic. It will be fun tomorrow, won't it? We'll be able to see the giant oak tree again, where all the Clan addresses are made. The lake will be just like I remember it, and we'll be able to see the other ThunderClan cats again! It's been moons since we did that.'

All of a sudden, something clicked in Smoketalon's mind, like a long forgotten stone falling into place. It was as if an extinguished light had been given new life out of virtually nothing, and was now shining lke it never had before. It had been had lying asleep, waiting for the oppurtunity to reawaken , and now that oppurtunity had arrived. Rebellious and glorious, it spread through his body, making feel like he was floating on air. It made him stop right where he was. His eyes diluted to the size of the moon. How could he have possibly forgotten about it?

'Smoketalon?' came Aspenpaw's shocked yelp. 'Is something wrong?'

Swiftly, he brushed off the tom's concern. 'No. Nothing's wrong at all.'

He tilted his head as Smoketalon looked from side to side, checking if anyone unwelcome was listening, before leaning in, 'Aspenpaw, do you ever think about freedom?'

* * *

 **Hmmm... in hindsight, I think this chapter's kinda patchy. Obviously, there's still a lot to ponder about in a review though! *hinthintnudgenudge* If you do leave one, I'd be interested to know what you think Smoketalon meant when he said** **"I didn't sacrifice what I did for you to waste it all away". Official Word Count: 5,904 words.**

 **Thanks so much for reading!**


	14. Chapter 13: Foxflame

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, and a massive welcome back to Slaves!**

 **I know, I know, I'm sorry for how long this took. There's been lots of distractions. School just broke up, so I've been on holiday and struggling to get online to post anything. That doesn't I haven't been productive though! As well as (eventually) finishing this, I've been working on some new material, AKA Dawn of Mockery, my first attempt at comedy. A Warrior's Horror Story is coming along nicely too, but anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. :)**

 **As usual, your support has been incredible. Honestly, I never thought this story would get so many reviews when I started, and it's thanks to you guys I've managed to get this far into the story! Here are my replies to your reviews-**

 **Raven that flies at night: Indeed it does. :)**

 **PepperWho: Good to see my little plot twist took you by surprise! And thanks a lot, I really appreciate it. XD**

 **Whispercloud: Thanks a lot, and yeah, I wish I could update more often. I went back and sorted out the mistake though!**

 **Cotton Candy Mareep: Oh. My. Word. I've never seen such detailed reviews! Thanks so much! And yeah, there certainly are a lot of intertwining mysteries in this story, especially concerning Smoketalon. I must admit, although I always plan my stories before I write them, this one took really longto do so just because of the sheer amount of plot details and hints/foreshadowing I have to include. :D**

 **Starlight's Silver Dance: Thanks so much for your continued support! I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying reading about Ivynose and Tanglepaw. I won't give too much away, but you're right, both of them have big roles to play later in the story. :)**

 **PopCat: Thanks fo your review! Hmm... your prediction is very interesting. Guess we'll just have to wait and see if your right!**

 **Creek the Mischievous Spirit: Thanks! I really appreciate you dropping a review!**

 **Yellowfang: Thanks for continually reviewing, and here is your upload. *bows graciously* My favourite couple is HollyXFallen, because they have an excellent and well-developed backstory. They're just a really sweet pairing, and Hollyleaf's Story also happens to be my fave Warriors book! What's your fave? Thanks for pointing out the typos, I'll go back and fix them asap.**

 **So, here is part 1 of the long awaited Gathering chapter. Why is is split into two parts, you ask? Because so much friggin happens that I couldn't fit it all into one update! Seriously, the word count for this chapter is 4,889, and I wasn't even half finished. Anything longer than that and I feel like it would've dragged on. As suggested in a previous review, we get a big extract from Foxflame's POV. In fact, most of the chapter is from her POV. I think you guys are gonna really enjoy it!**

 **Please RR!**

* * *

 _ **Slaves:**_

 **Chapter Thirteen:**

It was moonhigh around the lake. Night had long since hidden the sun away beneath the horizon, turning Silverpelt black. Menacing looking clouds completely obscurred the light of the Clan's ancestors, the only evidence of the occasion being the full moon, which shone so brightly it seemed to be trying to make up for the loss of the stars. This could only mean one thing, of course, something that no RiverClan cat was looking forward to.

The darkness extended all the way down to the ground, where it was so acute that Sageclaw could hardly see a foxlengh in front of him. The tom snorted disgruntledly. He hated being outside at night for how exposed and uncomfortable it made him feel. Anything could be lurking in the shadows where he couldn't see. It had been a miserable trip so far, and all he wanted to do was get to his nest. The remnants of the snow fall last sunrise were making him colder than usual.

He'd been sent out on a solo hunting mission in the hope of catching any prey that, for some reason, only decided to leave it's burrow at night. The mission was in vain, as he was returning to camp emptypawed. _What was even the point of sending me out?_ Sageclaw thought. _It was obvious I wasn't going to catch anything._

The tom wasn't too concerned about the reaction of whoever was in charge of the camp when they found out about his lack of prey, however. A much more pressing matter was running through his mind. Namely, what was about to transpire at the Gathering. With tensions so explosively high between RiverClan and WindClan, he suspected that one of the leaders of the Clans would probably make an accusation which would send the other into a fit of rage. It seemed likely to be Gorsestar, since WindClan were utterly convinced that a cat was intruding on their territory. He didn't want to know about how that would go down, which was lucky, because he hadn't been selected to go. But this opened up other problems. Foxflame had.

Sageclaw closed his eyes for a heartbeat. Ever since he'd discovered who her tormentor was, the usual petty arguments they had over differences of personalities had ceased. He felt a responsibility towards her as his Clanmate to comfort her, and even if her typical pride rejected most of his offers of help, he still worried about her. And tonight was no different. He hated the idea of her all alone at the Gathering, with that piece of foxdung nearby. He wished he could tell himself that she would be alright, for although he didn't doubt her ability to protect herself, he knew the kind of cat Shellstorm was. Not one to be messed with.

Or would she be alone? Whisperings of gossip around the camp had told him that the other two Clans would be bringing their slaves along to the Gathering too, but no one seemed to know why. That would be the only reason he'd even consider going. The prospect of seeing Eaglefang, Smoketalon and the rest once more.

Sageclaw had been hoping that he'd get back to the camp before the cats on the Gathering patrol left. Then he'd be able to say goodbye to Foxflame, and maybe even warn her not to do anything reckless, so he was disappointed when he saw and heard the signs of a large group of cats approaching. He breathed in, picking up the scents of a few familiar scents, specifically the leader herself, Beetlenose, Reedshade and, unfortunately, Shellstorm. Moments later, Streamstar emerged into view. He didn't see the she-cat he was looking for, so he assumed that she was lingering at the back.

'Ah, so our slave returns from his hunting trip,' Streamstar commented, stopping for a moment beside Sageclaw. He dipped his head towards her, more out of obligation than respect.

'And without prey,' a scornful voice echoed, brash and loud. 'Why am I not surprised?'

The RiverClan cats broke out into purrs of amusement, somehow finding their deputy's pitiful excuse for a joke funny. Sageclaw didn't. He glared at Shellstorm, not even bothering to hide the hostility in his eyes. He was stood beside his mate, who incidentally, appeared to be the only one from RiverClan who hadn't laughed. She even spared him an apologetic glance.

Reedshade's consistent shows of kindness had proven helpful . Ever since her lesson by the stream, he had been practising to fish at any oppurtunity that arose. He hadn't managed to catch anything yet though, for it required more precision and less clumsiness around water. The skill would have its merits in terms of helping him meet his prey targets, but he found it was also a good way to vent anger and annoyance, emotions so common to him nowadays. Ironically, Sagecaw probably felt more sorry for her than she did for him. He assumed that she wasn't aware of Shellstorm's advances on Foxflame.

Streamstar interrupted their laughter with an impatient huff, reminding the party that they had places to be. They set off quickly, not wanting to waste any more time. The tom ignored the scathing look Shellstorm gave him as he padded past, but he couldn't help but growl at him when he was out of earshot. He still wanted to speak to Foxflame before she left.

Soon enough, he caught a glimpse of her dark ginger fur. She was right on the other side of the group, meaning that he couldn't reach her. Worry made his tail flick from side to side. He considered calling out to her, but the patrol had already disappeared into the gloom before he could make a decision. _Mousedung_ , Sageclaw thought.

Something told him the she-cat was in for a difficult Gathering.

* * *

Foxflame scowled as she walked, taking great pleasure in digging her claws far into the ground with each pawstep. The action left scrape marks in the earth behind her, and indeed, lots of dirt on her pads. Evidently, she was in a bad mood.

She hadn't wanted to go to the Gathering. Staying in her nest and sleeping had seemed far more inviting, but since she had the luck of a kittypet that had just wandered into ShadowClan territory, it had been her that was chosen to go. She supposed this was due to the influence of a certain tom, but either way, she hadn't protested. It would've been worthless.

The she-cat was alone where she padded. The closest RiverClan warrior to her at this stage was Eelscratch, who'd been chosen as a guard, but wasn't really paying attention to her. She continued tearing up the ground, bored. _Let's hope this is a quick Gathering_ , Foxflame thought. It was wishful thinking, what with the feud with WindClan... and she couldn't help but wonder...

She blinked, looking up at the other cats on the patrol. They were moving at a fairly swift pace. It was a bit of an unspoken competition whenever the full moon came around to see which Clan could get to the island first. ShadowClan nearly always won, and WindClan were, for the most part, a close second. As far as Foxflame could tell, Streamstar wasn't that interested in competing against the other leaders, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to be punctual. The silver she-cat moved in an intent, brisk fashion. She noticed that although the sound of talk and whispering was constant, every cat kept on glancing at Streamstar, just to make sure they were keeping up with her.

Suddenly, Foxflame felt a tingling sensation crawling up her spine, one that made her hair stand on end. It was a feeling that only came when someone was staring straight at you. In a split second, her had muscles had tensed up and her eyes had narrowed, almost instinctively. She didn't want to look up, in case their eyes met. It would probably just encourage him.

She waited, hoped, for him to look away. Surely, if she just payed him as little attention as possible, he'd pick up on the fact that she'd rather spend time with a murderous badger than him? It seemed to take him sunrises to finally look away, but when he did, Foxflame risked a quick peek up, hoping to find out where he was in the crowd.

She was relieved to see that the silver grey tom was still where she'd seen him last, next to Reedshade. His head was close to the RiverClan she-cat's, saying something under his breath. She smiled at him, and he butted her head affectionately. The sight made Foxflame hiss. _I can't believe he can just turn around and act normally to that she-cat, as if he's done nothing wrong!_ she thought furiously.

Quickly, she sped up a little until she was stood behind two warriors. Their frames hid her from view. That way, if Shellstorm tried to find her in the group again, he wouldn't be able to. It was the least she could've, and would've done to stop him paying attention to her.

When they reached the lake shore, the light had improved considerably. The water reflected the limited moonrays that filtered through the clouds, allowing them to see their way across to the island. Foxflame anticipated Streamstar would start leading them towards WindClan territory, where the log bridge was, so she was taken back when the she-cat instead began to wade into the lake.

When the water had reached half way up her legs, she turned to face them again. 'Youngest across first,' the leader said, in a voice that had clearly spoken the exact same words many times before. 'I will follow.'

Foxflame watched, not quite comprehending, as the less experienced warriors began to swim confidently towards the island. Then, it hit her. _They can't seriously be expecting me to swim across_ , she thought incredulously.

Thankfully, one of the RiverClan warriors, Beetlenose, realised the problem at the same time. 'But what about the slave?' he called out. 'She can't swim.'

Streamstar looked Foxflame up and down at the moment. She skimmed her tail over the surface of the water, sending a spray of droplets into the air. 'Somebody will have to help her across,' she rasped slowly.

The slave turned to the remaining warriors. Any volunteers? she thought sarcastically. None of them seemed particularly eager. One or two of them glanced at each other, whereas a few raised their heads and looked down their noses at her pointedly, as if the RiverClan leader had just asked them to clear out the Dirtplace tunnel.

And then, the one voice she hadn't wanted to hear broke the silence. 'I'll do it.'

Foxflame dug her claws even further into the ground as Shellstorm stepped away from his mate's side. Reedshade appeared surprised, as did every other warrior there. There was a tiny smile on his face, one that sickened the ginger she-cat.

She began to protest, but Streamstar cut in, 'Thank you, Shellstorm. Your kindness is much appreciated.' She nodded to him, if bemusedly, and then gestured for the rest of the Gathering patrol to follow her. They did so, not wanting to be any more late than they already were. 'Be quick. I'd rather not start the Gathering without my deputy!' Streamstar added.

The only cat who lingered was Reedshade. She murmured something inaudible to him, although whatever it was, she didn't look best pleased. He started to answer, but wasn't given a chance to. The she-cat was already chasing after them, leaving Foxflame alone with Shellstorm.

The very thought set her on edge. Her stomach was tight with apprehension, and a nervous feeling was flooding through her veins. There was even a faint inkling of fear mixed in.

But she wasn't going to show it.

'Don't you get it?' Foxflame snarled viciously. Her fur had begun to bristle. 'Is your head so full of yourself that you can't understand a single word I'm saying? Leave. Me. Alone.'

Shellstorm tilted his head to oneside. 'Now, is that any way to speak to your deputy?' he purred, in a voice that was almost endearing.

'I wouldn't care if you were the RiverClan leader,' she said, shaking her head. 'Just go away!'

'But there's so many things I want to say to you. Things that I _have_ to say to you.'

'Oh for StarClan's sake-'

'Woah, calm down!' he exclaimed. 'Can't we at least be polite to each other? Would that be so hard?'

'Shut up,' she retorted, pushing straight past him and padding over to the edge of the bank. 'I'll talk to an arrogant snakeheart like you anyway I want.'

She had intended to dive straight in, and hopefully, wade just as Streamstar had done the entire away across. Typically though, things weren't so simple. A few tail-lengths in, the floor of the lake dropped away sharply, so much so that Foxflame knew her paws wouldn't be able to reach the bottom. She gulped at the sight of the fast moving ripples. Swimming had never been one of her strong points.

'Come on,' Shellstorm said softly, moving forward until he was stood next to her. 'You know I'm going to have to help you over.'

She flashed her teeth at him, but didn't say anything back. Standing next to him, it was suddenly a lot more evident how much larger than her the RiverClan deputy was. With his enormous frame and broad features, she must've been comparable to an apprentice to him.

The she-cat could still feel his eyes boring into her skull long after she'd looked away. All she wanted to do was get away from him, and yet here was this Dark Forest damned lake, blocking her way to safety.

'So, how do you want to do this?' he questioned, shuffling a little closer. Foxflame stiffened even more. 'I guess it would be best if you kinda just, leant on me...'

He draped his tail over his shoulder. The slave recoiled as if she'd been burnt. A burst of fury surged from her head all the way down to her paws. She spun on him, eyes alight. 'I don't need your help!' she snapped.

A long sigh followed. 'Both of us know that's not true.'

As soon as the words left Shellstorm's lips, the she-cat had had enough. Every word he said was just making her angrier and angrier.

And one swift leap later, Foxflame was in the lake.

The splash threw bitterly cold water into her face as she hit the surface. Its noise echoed loudly in her ears, deafening her for a few seconds. She half expected to keep sinking down into the lake's depths, sinking and sinking until she drowned, but then, her legs hit a layer of pebbles. She dug her claws into the silt, providing more grip.

Foxflame twisted around when Shellstorm's voice rang out, 'Please, don't be mousebrained. You won't make it half way.'

 _I'll show you_ , she thought determinedly, beginning to kick out, propelling herself forward.

The first few steps were easy, mainly because it didn't require any swimming. After that, the job became considerably harder. Her fur wasn't sleek like RiverClan cats. It seemed to trap all of the water nearby, weighing her down like she was trying to pull herself through a wall of mud. She reached down, hoping to find something that would help her stand up, but there was nothing except the lake, carrying on forever. How come the distance between her and the island was so much larger than it had been on the bank?

She heard another faint sigh from behind her. 'Why are you so stubborn? Just let me help you. You'll end up embarrassing yourself if you don't.'

Even if the tom's words were meant to discourage her, they had the exact opposite effect. Foxflame only kicked harder, using all of her effort to keep moving. Trees loomed up invitingly ahead. She made sure to keep her eyes fixed on them, giving herself something to aim for. Solid ground had to be close now. It had to be.

She pushed on, keeping a consistent rhythm with her legs and paws. In, out, in, out, cutting through the lake. Her breathing was fast and shallow. It felt like she wasn't moving anywhere. _Come on_ , she urged herself. _You can do this. You're a ThunderClan warrior!_

But no matter how hard she tried, the water kept on dragging her down. Her limbs were running out of energy. She splashed around, desperately keeping herself afloat, but it was too deep. Far too deep. Still, her paws weren't touching anything. ThunderClan cats weren't supposed to swim. It was against their nature.

She had started to shiver. Only now, when the rush of adrenaline had left her, did the numbing cold really start to settle in. Her struggles against the pull of the lake began to cease. She was sinking.

'Foxflame?'

Shellstorm's voice was muffled by the water in her ears. She wasn't listening to him anyway. All she could think about was the island, the shadow of which was clawing at her like an angry dog.

'Foxflame...?'

A heartbeat later, and her head was completely submerged. She tried to gasp, but all that came out was a gargling, strangled sound.

'Foxflame!'

She could barely hear Shellstorm now. Not that she cared. Floating beneath the surface of the lake gave her a peculiar feeling, as if she was flying. Her throat felt tight and bubbles were escaping from her mouth, but through all the freezing water, the she-cat was certain she could hear something or someone else, reaching out. Calling to her.

 _StarClan?_ she wondered absently. _Is that you? Are you still with me?_

Light was fading. Gently, her eyes fluttered closed. Her whole body went limp. No matter what was calling her, the noise it made was somewhat soothing. This was the en-

Suddenly, teeth fixed into her scruff, and started to yank her back upwards. The abrupt change sent shock waves reverberating through her. She opened her mouth to speak, but water nearly made her choke. Foxflame wasn't sure what was happening, but within seconds, it had well and truly knocked her out of the delirious state she'd fallen into. She needed to breathe. Now.

The she-cat tilted her head back and opened her eyes, ignoring the stinging feel that came with it. It was Shellstorm. He was pulling her back to safety with strong, confident kicks of his legs; despite the tom's size, it was almost graceful. Already, they were moving much faster than she had done.

The surface was right above their heads now, and the floor of the lake was visible again. She reached out pathetically with her paws. It was too much. Her chest felt close to bursting. She couldn't bare to hold her breath any longer. _Get me out! Please, get me out!_

Shellstorm re-emerged first, quickly followed by Foxflame. She coughed up water as much needed air flowed back into her lungs. The relief that came with it was overwhelming. Her heart pounded heavily, and the pain remained, but breathing had never before been such a pleasure.

He heaved on further until their paws touched down on the lakebed. Now that they were so close to the island, the scents and noises of a large amount of cats became clear. It washed over her though. She might've been able to stand up if any energy was left in her screaming muscles.

'Oh StarClan,' Shellstorm wheezed, as they finally escaped the freezing clutches of the water. 'Are you alright? Tell me you're alright.'

The she-cat couldn't force out the words to reply, collapsing like a rag doll onto the shore. Thorns were rooted into the nooks and cranies between the rocks that surrounded the miniature forest she knew lay ahead. Moisture continued dripping from her wet and heavy fur, darkening the stone around her. Noticing this, the RiverClan deputy started licking her fur the wrong way. She wasn't sure why this would help, but strangely enough, it seemed to speed up the drying.

'Foxflame,' he whispered, the usual roughness of his voice absent. 'You scared me so much.'

Perhaps if what he was saying had come from a different cat, it might've touched her. From the mouth of Shellstorm, it felt wrong and out of place. A part of her wanted to hiss at him, but the other, utterly passive, resisted.

Her lack of a response seemed to silence the tom. He carried on washing the water from her pelt, and nothing was exchanged between them for awhile. Or perhaps it was no time at all. Foxflame couldn't really tell, but either way, she almost appreciated it.

When her breathing had finally calmed, and their fur was dry for the most part, she craned her neck up. Shellstorm was still beant over her chest, eyes brimming with sentiment.

'Aren't you going to say thank you?' he asked.

Foxflame shook her head.

And everything went mad.

The tenderness in Shellstorm's gaze evaporated, and was replaced with an emotion so passionate and lustful it scared her. Like lightning, his paw shot forth and rammed into her shoulders, pinning the she-cat down. He lowered himself down until his face was so close their whiskers brushed.

'You ungrateful piece of crowfood,' he said, eerily quiet. 'I just saved your life.'

Foxflame could only stare back, helpless. She doubted she would've been able to get him off in a fit state, let alone when she'd just nearly drowned. His tail brushed against hers, and then began to entwine them.

'I love you. Can't you see that?'

He shoved their muzzles together forcefully. A horrible queasiness passed over her, like something was trying to force its way up her throat. She squirmed underneath his body, which was half on, half off her. A purr rumbled. Powerless. Totally powerless.

 _Rain pours from the clouds like StarClan's tears. It showers them. Their pelts are soaked. Somewhere to her right, a young grey apprentice cries. She wants to do so herself, but she won't. She'll resist. If she doesn't, who else will?_

 _Blood drips from her nose and onto her paws, staining her fur a darker shade of red. It seems to drip from everywhere. The whole clearing stained in a sea of blood. Corpses lie on the ground. Corpses of cats she knew and loved. The remnants of ThunderClan. Dying._

 _There's nothing she can do. They've taken everything. Her whole life, shattered to pieces right in front of her eyes, as if it never existed. What happens next? Is she going to die? What else is there to live for?_

No _._

Miraculously, Foxflame managed to summon up the strength to lash out, raking her claws down his cheek. It was enough to make him fall backwards. She scrambled onto her paws and dashed away, not daring to look back.

'Foxflame! Get back here!' Shellstorm yowled.

 _I'll kill him_ , she thought, as she reached the tree line. _One day, I'll kill him._

Her mind was a blur running through the fringe of the clearing. From previous experience, she knew that the undergrowth would soon give away to a large, open patch of grass, where all the frivolous chatter of the Gathering would take place. She felt overwhelmed. Nothing quite made sense. Her fur was a mess, and her musty amber eyes darted around wildly. She was caught in a whirlwind, which blew her this way and that at will.

Quickly, she looked over her shoulder to check whether Shellstorm was giving chase. Nothing followed her. The sight was vaguely reassuring. Foxflame ground her paws down, causing her to skid to a hurried halt. The small patches of shrubs and trees were peeling away. The clearing was mere taillengths in front.

The she-cat swallowed nervously. The memories she had of Gatherings weren't fantastic. Her enthusiasm was dampened even further by the fact there would be a distinct lack of ThunderClan cats there.

 _Pull yourself together Foxflame_ , she told herself. _Your acting like a kit_. _Besides, anything in the Gathering is better than Shellstorm._ She took the last few steps out of the undergrowth with as much dignity as she could muster. A blank expression found its way onto her face. Although her stomach was churning, she needed to stay strong. Nothing would get the better of her.

The clearing's sheer size was swelled by the amount of cats. Groups stood around like swarms of wasps. To one side, apprentices taunted each other with dares, and warriors boasted of their latest hunting exploits. To another, elders reminisced of their youthful and exuberant moons. A collection of scents filled the air, ShadowClan, WindClan and RiverClan alike, despite the fact the latter were avoiding each other somewhat. Was there a hint of ThunderClan too?

Foxflame, not wanting to draw too much attention to herself, darted to the left and took a seat on the outskirts of the crowd. Even though she'd been invited, it was fairly clear that she wasn't welcome. Cats sneered at her comtemptuously as she padded past. They received a curl of the lip back.

After settling down on her haunches, she took a better look around the clearing. Right in the centre, the huge oak tree where the leaders spoke from loomed above all the rest. Streamstar, Gorsestar and Ravenstar were sat on one of the lower branches, ready to address the other Clans. They appeared to be waiting for something; Ravenstar looked far from pleased.

Now that she'd stopped moving, the feeling of being sick reinstated itself. Her muzzle was burning from where he'd touched her, and the humiliation that came with it was even stronger. _He saved my life_ , Foxflame thought, ears hot. _He saved my life, and then he did that._

There were so many things wrong with what Shellstorm did. He had a mate. He was supposed to be in love with her. How could he expect me to thank him for anything after what he did to my Clan?

My Clan.

StarClan, she missed them so much.

And they were here.

The slave had completely forgotten about that. Her surviving Clanmates were supposed to be attending! She sat up a little, and immediately began searching through the throng for any sign of a familiar face. Smoketalon perhaps? Eaglefang?

'Your attention please! The Gathering shall commence.'

A confident voice rang out. It belonged to Ravenstar, whose ice cold eyes were as unemotional as ever. The chatter lowered down to excited whispers. Foxflame's tail twitched, frustrated she hadn't been able to find anyone.

'I'll apologise on behalf of RiverClan for the absence of their deputy,' he commented dryly. 'It seems having control of her cats isn't one of Streamstar's priorities.'

The ShadowClan cats chuckles at their leader's joke. WindClan joined in, albeit much more spitingly. Shellstorm had joined the other deputies underneath the tree while Foxflame had been distracted. She didn't look at him. She didn't even want to think about him.

Streamstar remained calm. 'Thank you,' she said graciously. 'But I couldn't help noticing the lack of any WindClan slaves here. Is there a reason for that, Gorsestar?'

The brown tabby bristled. 'Who I chose to accompany here is none of your business,' he retorted.

The tension that crackled in the air was unmistakable. The Gathering had barely started yet, and already the two leaders were taking swipes at each other. Foxflame knew the minor confrontation would be nothing compared to what was to come. Her conscience prickled.

Ravenstar observed the whole thing with undisguised curiosity. From a distance his eyes seemed to gleam.

'If you two have finished,' he drawled, 'I'll begin my report.'

If you were foolish enough to believe him, ShadowClan were florishing in the heart of Leafbare and prey was plentiful beyond belief. Their unflattering frames begged to differ. There was a mention of a new apprentice, Tanglepaw, which earned the traditional cheer. He concluded it with a warning that they were prepared to defend their borders no matter what. Foxflame fully believed him on that one.

Streamstar opened her mouth to speak, but Gorsestar interrupted her. 'I will speak next,' he said roughly.

Her eyes contracted. Instead of protesting, however, she stepped back, giving him permission to do so. It was almost like a sign of acceptance.

'Cats of the Clans!' Gorsestar yowled. 'RiverClan have been stealing our prey!'

* * *

 **Soz, it's yet another cliffie. Don't worry though, the next update will pick up right from where this one left off. Please tell me what you thought of the chapter in a review! Question: what are your guys opinions on Shellstorm?**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	15. Chapter 14: Foxflame

**Author's Note: Hey guys, and welcome back to Slaves!**

 **So what have I been doing the past month, you ask? The answer is exams. Lots of exams. And a fair amount of revision. Yep, we had a mock exam week, which was all a bit unhelpful in terms of writing. However, I finally got the next part of the Gathering chapter done. Here it is!**

 **Here are my replies to your, as usual, wonderful reviews-**

 **Yellowfang: It's fine! Thanks so much for your review. :) Yeah, the Dovewing eye colour thing is annoying. I always imagine her with blue eyes. Wbu? My ship is FallenXHolly cause they're adorable and the backstory they were given in A Hollyleaf's Story was amazing, in my humble opinion. What's your ship?**

 **Foreststar of WindClan: Yeah, Shellstorm is a bad kitty. Thanks for your review!**

 **DustyClouds: Thanks a bunch for your continued reviews! I really appreciate it. XD I'll make sure to go back and fix those typos asap.**

 **InCD: Thanks a lot for saying that! It took me a long time to come up with. :)**

 **Guest: Thanks!  
**

 **Rainstone18: Awwww, thank you so much for a lovely review! You have no idea how much I appreciate you guys' support!**

 **Starlight's Siver Dance: Thanks a lot as usual! Glad to know Foxflame is still you're fave character. You get another chappie from her POV here!**

 **Cotton Candy Mareep: Gah, detailed reviewers! You make my day, seriously! Thanks ever so much for consistently posting such amazing reviews. XD I hope to hear from you again soon!  
**

 **Maple's Timr: Thank you so much for your review!**

 **Cloudsplash: Glad to know you're enjoying the story! :)**

 **Mistfire: Thank you so much! And yeah, Shellstorm really is a jerk, ain't he? He's still got a LOT of development to come though. :)**

 **So in this chapter, we return to Foxflame at the Gathering. There's not too much to introduce, and i'm sure all you guys have probably skipped the AN's note anyway. :P Hope you enjoy the chapter! Please RR.**

* * *

 _ **Slaves:**_

 **Chapter 14:**

It was strange how quickly the Gathering erupted.

All of a sudden, cats leapt up, snarling and spitting at each other like cornered rats. Ferocity burnt in their eyes, a ferocity that had been barely contained for sunrises. From where she was sat, Foxflame could see everything. The caterwauls grated at her ears. She couldn't help but feel intimidated. The ShadowClan cats broke away from the quarelling groups of their neighbours, moving away to the other side of the clearing.

Foxflame blinked. A part of her wanted to run away, and never come back. She had to force herself to stay still. On the branches of the tree, the leaders were just as hostile. Streamstar was struggling to retain her calm.

'The fact you can lie so blatantly is astounding,' she quipped icily. 'No RiverClan cat has been on your territory, Gorsestar.'

The leader bared his teeth. They were tapered down to deadly points. 'Do you think I'm rabbit-brained? My warriors have picked up your scent multiple times during the past moon. Our border _reeks_ of RiverClan intrusions.'

'We have done no such thing!' Streamstar insisted.

Growls echoed from below. Close to Foxflame, two apprentices who seemed barely out of kithood circled each other menacingly. She stared at them, shocked such young cats were getting drawn into the argument.

From the tree stump beneath the overhanging branches of the oak, one voice rang out through the crescendo, louder than the rest.

'Just admit it!' the deputy, Sandpelt, shouted. 'We've smelt you-'

'Prove it,' a RiverClan warrior hissed at her.

'Why would we want your mangy rabbits?'

'Yeah, we have the river!'

Sandpelt curled her lip, but before she could retort, her leader raised his tail, trying to regain the attention of the crowd.

'Don't try and use the river as an excuse,' he snapped, ears flattened. 'The streams in your territory would've frozen over, as they have in my own. You were never satsified with the prey we caught for you in ThunderClan's old forest- everytime, you demanded more, and now you've resorted to stealing.'

Streamstar's eyes blazed. She was losing her cool. 'We demanded more because you were taking it all for yourself!'

Gorsestar let out a furious yowl and turned on her. He looked poised to strike. Foxflame stared in horror. _The leaders can't fight. They wouldn't. It's against the truce. Right?_

They hadn't shown much respect for the code to ThunderClan.

It had begun to rain. The ginger she-cat looked up at the sky; it was full of black clouds, sinister and forbidding. The moon was gone. Silverpelt had been obscurred. She was no expert, but she was sure this meant StarClan was angry. So why was no one saying anything? The medicine cats, lost in the crowd, hadn't said a word. Either that, or the cries for blood were too loud for them to be heard.

As a droplet of water splashed on her muzzle, a chilling sensation rushed through her fur. All around her, cats were on the verge of breaking out into a fight. Nearby, Eelscratch faced off against a bulky WindClan tom. To her left, Beetlenose bushed his pelt out a lithe brown she-cat. The apprentices she'd noticed earlier were in each other's faces.

Her throat still felt tight. It was like she was still in the water, about to drown. The rain only made it worse. Her pelt was becoming thick and heavy again. She half expected Shellstorm to re-emerge, as if from a nightmare. And the shrieks of outrage were only getting louder and louder. Foxflame had always prided herself on being cool under her pressure, but this too much. Everything was closing in around her. The battle hungry cats. The fear. The memories.

The guilt.

And looming over it all, was Ravenstar. He was the sole figure who appeared calm. His blue eyes, like chips of ice amongst the rest, glowed with a strange eminence that filled her with fear. She couldn't quite tell, but was he... was he _smiling?_

Panic set in. She couldn't bare it anymore. Foxflame backed away from the confrontation between the two Clans, shaking her head in horror. Nobody noticed her, nobody even cared. Seeing this, she broke into a run, ducking into the bushes surrounding the clearing before she thought twice about it. Her fur got caught on the thorns of one of the shrubs. She ripped herself free. It torn at her skin, but she ignored the sudden burst of pain and pushed on. She just needed to be alone.

A crack resonated out through the trees as her paws tripped on a root. She tumbled over, slamming face first into the ground. Her vision blurred, but she made no movement to get back up again. Now that she'd stopped running, all she wanted to do was stay there.

Foxflame barely moved, listening to the rain pouring down onto the trees above. She could hear it splashing onto the ground beside her, or on her pelt. The noise of the arguing Clans continued faintly in the distance. It didn't show any signs of stopping. The she-cat found she was almost battling herself.

 _You need too stay strong, Foxflame. Are you really going to let them win_ _?_

 _How can I not? Shellstorm's getting worse every sunrise... and now this..._

 _Don't be mousebrained. You need to keep the memory of ThunderClan alive-_

 _Why should I? ThunderClan is dead!_ _There's nothing to keep going for. Not anymore._

She closed her eyes, and was thrown back to the moment beside the lake. The RiverClan deputy was holding down, blue eyes alight. She remembered his words. "I love you. Can't you see that?"

Did he love her?

 _No!_ she thought fiercely. _Of course he doesn't love you. Even if he did, he wouldn't go about trying to tell you like this._

That much she was certain of. Shellstorm didn't love her. She had no idea what was making him say it, but he didn't. The only cat that snakeheart loved was himself.

 _That's why you need to keep going. If you give in, then everything will just get worse. Perhaps your Clan was defeated, but you haven't been. Not yet. You need to fight._

 _Because you're not a slave. You never have been. You're a warrior._

Slowly, Foxflame began to pick herself up. Her legs wavered, but her musty yellow eyes were now full of a grim determination. She couldn't show weakness, and let them prey on her like a hawk to a mouse. It wasn't right.

She turned around and padded back towards where the clearing was. The place where she'd cut herself on the thorns stung, but she ignored the pain, concentrating on her pawsteps. Each one felt harder than the last. The shouts, however, sounded much more subdued than they had been before. One cat was talking louder than the rest, most likely one of the leaders. Streamstar perhaps? It certainly sounded like a she-cat.

She inhaled deeply when she arrived at the fringes of the clearing. _Remember, you're a warrior._

'Hey Foxflame.'

It took her a few heartbeats to recognise him, but when she did, her eyes widened. Her body seemed to catch fire. It had been so long since she'd heard his voice, and yet, it had barely changed at all.

Smoketalon was stood a few foxlengths behind her, just beside the shrub that he had emerged from. His long black fur was dishevelled and visibly damp, but in her eyes, it had a sheen unrivalled by any cat she'd looked at in moons. His amber eyes, brighter than her's, shone in the gloomy darkness like sunbeams. He was totally still, staring at her with an expression that reflected what she was feeling. She stared back with the same emotion.

Neither of them moved. It was as if they were the only two cats in the world.

'Hey,' she breathed, unable to force anything else out.

He nodded in understanding. Foxflame knew she didn't have to say anything else. There was no need.

She hesitated, before taking a small step closer and sniffing at him. She was wary of believing he was real, just in case it was all a horrible trick someone was playing on her. But it wasn't. His scent was the same. He was actually there, standing right in front of her. He was real.

She took another step, and with the same sense of uncertainty, the tom copied her. It was as if they were young deer, taking their first look at an amazing new world. There was an immense elation building up inside Foxflame; whatever ego she had left had melted away to nothingness at the mere sight of her Clanmate, and she hoped he was feeling it too.

Now, they were within a mousetail of each other. Their eyes locked, amber gazing into amber.

'So,' he coughed, a little awkwardly. 'Um... how are you?'

The awkwardness was gone before it had even started.

The two cats talked about almost everything. From the most insignificant talk with a rude apprentice, to the confrontation with a senior warrior that nearly turned violent, they poured out whatever had been hanging on their chests or bothering them to their Clanmate. To Foxflame, it felt so natural _._ It was the first time in awhile that a conversation she was having wasn't laced with sharp retorts or hurtful comments. Even with Sageclaw, their relationship was strained by time spent together and issues within RiverClan. This was different, and so _right,_ although some things were better left unsaid. She didn't mention Shellstorm.

As Smoketalon complained about the conditions in their den, she thought about the times she had spent with him in the their old home. It was strange in some ways- they had never really been friends. Denmates, yes, but anything closer than that had always been out of the question. Smoketalon was so difficult to get along with. He was cold and unfriendly, sometimes even mean, and spent most of his time with his brother, Beechfoot. In truth, Foxflame had disliked him (although this was true for most of the cats she'd grown up with).

Nevertheless, here they were, talking like they were brother and sister. Their personalities seemed to have disappeared into thin air. She was just glad she was with a Clanmate. That link alone was enough for both of them.

'-I can't remember the last time I was warm at night. The slave's den is so cold, you might at as well be sleeping out in the open!' Smoketalon complained.

'That sounds awful,' Foxflame agreed. 'Do you spent as much time hunting as we do? I swear, we have to get up at dawn every single sunrise to even have a chance of meeting our prey target.'

'Prey target?'

'Yeah. We have to catch five pieces of prey a day, _in the middle of Leafbare._ '

'So RiverClan don't just eat fish. They have the brains of fish too.'

Foxflame laughed, and Smoketalon joined in for a moment. Then abruptly, he stopped.

The ginger she-cat frowned. 'What is it?'

He hung his head. 'I don't think I can remember the last time I laughed.'

At the sight of the tom like that, with his eyes fixed on the ground and his tail drooping with despondency, Foxflame reached forward instinctively and pressed her muzzle against his shoulder. She stiffened just upon realising she was doing it- a gesture of comfort was not something she was used to giving. Smoketalon didn't move away though. Instead, he muzzled her back. The contact sent a feeling of warmth spreading through her, but it was bittersweet. There was sadness edged in with it as well, as harsh as the Leafbare wind.

Suddenly, a yowl echoed from the clearing beyond the shrubs. Foxflame turned her head, ears twitching slightly. It was louder than the shrieks they'd heard throughout their conversation, like a summoning call.

'You heard that, right?' she said.

Smoketalon nodded, pulling away from the contact. 'It was probably just one of the leaders trying to get everyone's attention.'

She waited for the call to come again, but what followed was different. The sound of a large group of cats, walking nearby. Her eyes narrowed, unsure of what was happening, but then it hit her. _The Gathering must've ended_.

Quickly, she looked at Smoketalon. 'We have to go,' she told him. 'The Clans are leaving.'

There was a grave look in his eyes, one that told her all she needed to know. She felt it too. The pull for kin to stay together.

'I don't want to go either,' she blurted out unceremoniously. 'But we have to, don't we? There's no other choice.'

It felt like an era before Smoketalon finally looked away. The reluctance on his face was evident. 'Yes. We must.'

Foxflame wanted to say something else. It was like a massive hole had been left between them, one that still needed to be filled, but she couldn't quite her paw on one what it was. She started to speak, but then stopped herself.

'Goodbye.'

He didn't say a word.

Feeling srangely annoyed that they had ended on such a low point, the she-cat padded over to the clearing annoyed with herself. _What was he thinking?_ she thought. _Did he have something else he wanted to-_

'Wait!'

She spun around when Smoketalon's urgent voice echoed into her ears. He was running back towards her, face contorted with an emotion she couldn't read.

'I need to talk to you about something,' he said desperately. 'Something important.'

Foxflame looked at him, bewildered. 'What? What is it?'

'Freedom.'

She couldn't comprehend what Smoketalon was trying to tell her. It was like she'd never heard the word before in her life: a long lost story that the elders used to tell their kits. Foxflame gaze at him as if he'd gone mad.

'Did you just say-'

He shook his head. 'There's no time to explain. I have to go and find Aspenpaw.' The tom reached flicked his tail. 'Meet me by the ShadowClan border in two sunrises time, at moonhigh. Don't be late.'

Before she could gather her thoughts, Smoketalon was running off into the bushes. She tried to shout his name, but the last signs of his black pelt were disappearing into the trees. Foxflame was left there, shocked.

 _Freedom?_ she thought disbelievingly. _What did he mean by that?_

But she didn't have time to ponder on it. She had to get back to the RiverClan patrol.

Quickly, she burst out into the clearing. The raining had stopped, but the grass was soaking wet. However, the moon, which had been completely covered up by the clouds earlier, was now free and shining with apparent vengeance. It bathed the island in long, thin beams of moonlight. She looked around, trying to find any sign of the leaving cats, but the clearing was deserted. _They can't have all left already, could they?_

She breathed in the lingering scents. It didn't take her long to find the trail left by the RiverClan cats, and she followed it down to the place where they had swum over. The boulders which lay along the shoreline glistened in the light. She sniffed the air again. Along the scents were undeniable, she could smell them heading over to the water's edge.

Just as panic at the thought of having to swim back over alone was beginning to reach her, she saw a cat padding along the bank. It was one that she recognised. Rowanleap, a young ginger warrior.

He noticed her at the same time. 'There you are!' he shouted.

Foxflame ran over to him, relieved at the the sight of the RiverClanner. Something told her she wouldn't be feeling that again for soon time.

'For StarClan's sake, where have you been?' he hissed angrily. 'Are you so fishbrained that you got lost?'

'Oh please, the only fishbrain I can see here is you,' she retorted.

The old Foxflame hadn't been gone that long.

* * *

 _Sageclaw dreamed._

 _He dreamed he was back in the starry plain. The mist was denser this time, but the alluring stars shone brighter than ever. If he looked down, the gleam of them hurt his eyes. How beautiful this place was. So peaceful and welcoming._

 _So free._

 _'Have you found it yet?'_

 _The wonderful sound of the voice made him want to laugh and cry and cheer, all at once. 'It's you!' he cried. 'I thought I'd never-'_

 _'Have you found it yet?' it repeated, as if it hadn't heard._

 _Sageclaw closed his mouth, suddenly feeling foolish. 'Found what?'_

 _'You know. You'll always know.'_

 _And he did. They were still looking for freedom. The last time he'd been here, the voice had asked him whether he'd thought it was possible to find it. Sageclaw hadn't thought so at the time, but now he wasn't so sure. Was_ this _freedom?_

 _'No,' the voice said, answering his thought. 'You are free of the living world when you walk here with me, but this is not the same freedom that you seek.'_

 _Sageclaw closed his eyes, and thought about it. He wanted to please the voice, he really did, but surely it was impossible to find freedom? How could he do it?_

 _'No!' the voice spoke again. 'You are limiting yourself to what you think is real. While you are here, there is no such thing as "possible" and "impossible". There is only yourself.'_

 _'I don't understand,' he murmured, ashamed he was letting himself down._

 _A long sigh echoed. 'And until you learn to let go, you never will.'_

 _All of a sudden, something red began to appear from the mist in from of him. It was thick, and it dirtied the stars, dulling their majestic light. Sageclaw watched in confusion, unsure of what was happening. It was only until it reached his paws that he realised what it was._

 _Blood._

 _'Beware Sageclaw,' the voice echoed. 'There is danger for you ahead. The past is drenched in blood, but the future is pale as light...'_

* * *

 **So, a little bit of an ambiguous ending there! Please tell me what you thought in a review! Also, I know Foxflame and Smoketalon may have seemed a little OOC in the middle part of the this chapter, but they're characters return to normal very quickly and i was just trying to underline the emotion that came with them meeting each other again. :)**

 **Question: What are YOUR theories on why the other Clans attacked ThunderClan?**

 **-Claud**


	16. Chapter 15: Eaglefang

**Author's Note: Hey guys, and welcome back to Slaves!**

 **Wow, it feels amazing to be back. Deservedly, I should be whipped for taking so long to write this chapter, but a mixture of excessive and relentless school work and technical problems got in the way. Same old stuff really. *sigh* But it's awesome to know I have the best fans in the world leaving their reviews to keep me motivated! Here my replies-**

 **RainEStar3: Glad to know you enjoyed it!**

 **Mistfire: For the first idea, that is very much true! XD But seriously, it's an interesting prediction. In reality (for the story anyway), I'll admit it's slightly more complex.**

 **Cotton Candy Mareep: Honestly, you spoil so much with these reviews! *hugs* So far, Foxflame been a bit like marmite with some of my other reviewers, either love her or hate her. It's cool to know you're one of the love her people! :) Also, thanks so much for what you said in the last paragraph. You alays manage to touch on something that I'm really proud in your reviews and I can't thank you enough!**

 **PopCat: Hello! Thanks for reviewing again. :) The support is always appreciated!**

 **Foreststar of WindClan: Thanks for continually reading and reviewing! :) First theory: fair enough really. :P The second and third ones are very interesting, and in some ways they contribbute quite a bit, but for the complete explanation we'll have to read on!**

 **KatieK101: Thanks so much for another amazing few reviews! I appreciate them so much. :) Think I answered it already in one of our PMs, but still. XDXDXD**

 **So, we've arrived back in WindClan. And are things are as utterly bleak as ever. More so by the end of chapter, which of course you'll find out about. :)**

 **Please RR!**

* * *

 _ **Slaves:**_

 **Chapter 15:**

If it weren't for the sobbing, Eaglefang might've been able to relax. The idea of putting his head back and stretching out was wonderful. He could see himself now- munching on a plump squirrel and enjoying all the lovely weather that Greenleaf had to offer. But there were no plump squirrels on the fresh-kill pile. The weather was far from lovely. It was wasn't even Greenleaf. They may have been a time when he liked the snow, but now anything apart fom hating it was a distant memory. On sunrises like this, when not a patch of ground could be seen, he despised it.

The putrid stench had seeped into all the corners of the camp. No matter where he stood, in the dens or in the clearing, his scent glands were filled. As unbearable as it was, the smell had imposed itself so much as of late that there was a striking normality to it. Branchcall's death from Greencough had left the Clan grief stricken, and as Gorsestar had requested, the elders den had been closed out of fear that the disease would spread. Their fears hadn't been without merit. Several warriors and apprentices had come down with so called "minor" coughs, although they'd been serious enough for Ryesong to keep them under constant supervision. The reek that now emanated from the abandoned elder's den, and the albeit weaker one from the medicine cat's, was spreading. Eaglefang had hoped that the affliction wasn't spreading too. Earlier, his hopes had been dashed. Chivedash had died.

Her mourning ceremony was taking place in the centre of the camp, for all to see. Most of the Clan had come, and the tears of one of her closest kin chilled the tom to the bone. He had barely known in her, and bore no intention to change that when she was alive, but her, and indeed any cat's death was a tragedy to him. It had barely been a half moon since he discovered her alone with the corpse of her fellow elder. Now the last of WindClan's oldest living generation had passed on, and all the lavender in the world couldn't conceal the reek of its remains. Yet as much as he tried not to, the darkest and blackest hole of his heart had a certain sardonic detachment towards it. Perhaps WindClan would understand better what they put him through.

And as if things weren't going badly enough in their private affairs, the Gathering party had returned with bad news on the issue with their rival. RiverClan had not only provoked them, but refused to accept they had been intruding on their territory at all. Eaglefang had almost laughed when he heard this. Either they just were being stubborn, or thought that WindClan were complete mousebrains. The evidence spoke for itself. Although a fight was the last thing that he wanted, his captors needed as much prey as they could get, and prey for his captors meant prey for him. There was an unspoken thought going through his mind, most likely shared by all the other cats. If more food isn't found soon...

He closed his eyes. The nights were getting longer, and the days were getting shorter. He was tired, and the ever present hunger in his stomach continued to burn, giving no sign of letting up. Despite this, he didn't want to eat in case the fresh-kill was intended for someone else, and he most certainly didn't want to try and go to sleep. There wasn't much point, for if Palewhisper couldn't then he certainly wouldn't be. The outlook for her was awful; Eaglefang was beginning to become desperate. He didn't want to admit it, but the tom suspected that the answer to all of the she-cat's problems lay in figuring out the meaning behind the prophecy. But Eaglefang didn't want to know. In truth, he was scared. Terrified. The past is drenched in blood, but the future is pale as light. What it was signified was a mystery. But not to one cat, someone who unfortunately, he wasn't all that willing to consult.

But he wanted Palewhisper to be happy. That much he knew he wanted.

Palewhisper. Eaglefang allowed the thought of her to wash over him for a moment. That soft white fur, as gentle and delicate as a feather. Those glistening blue eyes, which used to be so full of life when she was younger, but were now full of heartbreak and shadows of cats and far more comforting times. As the sunrises went by she was beginning to mean so much more. She was his friend, his comfort, and his only Clanmate. In a way, she was his Clan. She relied on him so much, but he relied on her just as much. Maybe more. The she-cat would be finishing the final chore she'd been assigned- delivering as much fresh-kill as could be spared to the queens. He'd originally felt compelled to sit in on the mourning ceremony, at least from a distance, but this obligation had long since lost it necesity. The sooner she finished, the sooner they could get away.

It didn't take too long before she was emerging from the nursery. He sat up, partly in relief, as her lithe frame came into view. Grasped in her mouth were the remains of a rabbit, which if like the rest on the fresh-kill pile hadn't been all that enticing in the first place. She glanced around, looking for him, and when their eyes met quickly started walking over.

'Hi,' she murmured, upon arriving at his side.

'Hi.'

He expected Palewhisper to sit down, but confusion flickered in his gaze when she carried on standing, like she wasn't sure if the invitation was extended to her or not. There was a slight twitch to the she-cat's muslces- an uncertainty shown by the anxiety of her countenance. Eaglefng was reminded of the prey she carried, chased and frightened by some unseen hunter.

He reached forward and brushed her ears with his tail tip. 'Do you want to go back inside?'

She didn't answer him, instead plonking down unceremoniously. It was that absent look again. The one that indicated she was thinking of something else.

In the silence that followed, the tom decided that despite the yearning in his heart to comfort her further, it would be silly to waste the little food that was. He tucked in, removing every last morsel of succulence from the bones of the rabbit; parts were left behind for Palewhisper, but it took a significant amount of self-control to resist his more selfish urges to finish it off. He was licking his lips when her faint voice came again.

'It's really awful, isn't it?'

Eaglefang didn't need telling what she was referencing. The mourning ceremony was reaching the latter stages. He could make out Ryesong in the throng, sending their collective prayers to StarClan for the loss of their Clanmate.

'I suppose so,' the slave grunted, gulping down the last mouthful he had allowed himself.

'Her name was Chivewing, yes?'

'Chivedash.'

'Oh.'

That awful, emotionless voice arose in his mind. That just about sums up how I care.

Not wanting to dwell on the awful thought, Eaglefang distracted himself by shoving the last few parts of the rabbit to Palewhisper. A bone broke away from the skeleton and came to rest on one of her paws. She barely moved.

'You can have that if you wan-'

'Why is life so pointless?'

The outburst caught him off guard. His ears flattened slightly. 'What makes you say that?'

She turned her head towards the other slave. 'I just seems so... futile. Why in StarClan's name should any of us gone on? What reason is there at all?'

Eaglefang didn't like where this conversation was heading. He opened his mouth to interrupt her, but Palewhisper was faster.

'We do the same thing every sunrise. Not just us, I mean. Every Clan cat in all three Clans. We wake up, we listen to our patrols, we go on them, we come back and share tongues, we got out again and then we go to sleep. It's never different. It's always the same. The dawn arrives and the sun sets at the time they did before. A repeating cycle. But what's the point? To survive? To keep the Clan going? We mean nothing. Loyalty, the code, our ancestors, our ideals and kin all account for so little. And yet we care about them so- so much.'

Her voice had lowered to a hoarse whisper, cracked and broken. 'Why should we even care about ThunderClan?'

Eaglefang stared back at her. The she-cat's words resonated through his body and away into the night. He doubted that anybody apart from him had heard them, least of all StarClan. They made his legs feel light as a feather, and his concience as heavy as a boulder. But despite this, he knew he couldn't show how big a nerve Palewhisper had hit. This was giving up. She was giving up. And he was reponsible for her. He had to be strong for her, now more than ever.

'We care because it's all we have,' he answered, firmly and honestly. 'That's it. We haven't lost yet- we lost on that night back home, but our fight isn't over. ThunderClan needs us. I'm not going to lose, and neither are you.'

Palewhisper had looked away by the time he finished. All her attention was strained on the rabbit carcass, which only served as a reminder of the pungeant smell of death around them. She didn't need to say anything else. There was no need.

Eaglefang coughed. 'Um... maybe... maybe you should go back to the den? I'll be with you in a few soon.'

The she-cat practically leapt to her paws and dashed off before he could blink. As soon as she was out of earshot, a cloud of tension was lifted. He didn't have a clue how their conversation had ended up so strangely draining, but it had. For some reason, he felt like all the energy had been taken from his body, leaving him a shallow and empty husk of a cat. The wretched cold was worsening, and those combined left his heart beating wildly. His emotions raged inside, churning with sadness and regret and an overwhelming desire to help her.

If that wasn't a sign to stop stalling, he didn't know what was.

All of a sudden, a clear aim emerged in his mind. Eaglefang knew what he to do, even if his pride screamed at him to stop and reconsider. What Palewhisper said continued to echo. In some ways, she was right. It was awful that Chivedash had died, but no one could deny that wasn't going to be the only life claimed by this Leafbare. If she was one of them, there really wouldn't be a point.

The mourning ceremony was disbanding as he got up to his paws. A smaller band of them were carrying the limp body of the elder, heading past him over to the camp entrance. The burial would take place soon. Grieving warriors and Clanmates moved slowly in the opposite direction, to whatever small consolation their dens could offer. Eaglefang whisked through them, searching for one face in particular. Eventually, he caught sight of a dark brown tail disappearing into the medicine cat den. Ryesong.

He sprinted over, brushing several warriors aside, one of whom yelled at him furiously, but he ignored them. Even as he reached the den, he didn't stop, bursting in without a moments consideration.

That detestable scent was stronger still now he was merely a foxlength away from those who had caught it. At present, there was a warrior, Harestoop, and a young apprentice, Doepaw. They tossed and turned, coughing even in their sleep. Along with the red streaming eyes and puffy nose, Eaglefang truly didn't want to take a step closer, but he was more concerne by Ryesong. The small medicine cat had twisted around when he burst in. Her paws were mid way through a pile of feverfew, frozen in surprise by his entrance. He panted, and could see it rising in front of him.

After a pause where neither knew what to say, she rolled her eyes and continued sorting through her herbs. 'No, please do come in,' she said dryly.

All of a sudden, he was embarassed, and licked his paws self-conciously. The urgency in his mood wasn't absent long. 'Sorry Ryesong, but I need to talk to yo-'

'Ssh,' she interrupted, back still facing him. 'I need to finish this.'

'It's important.'

Her tail swished, indicating she had heard, but apart from that she pointedly ignored him. He tried to speak again and get their inevitably awkward conversation over with. Ryesong was having none of it. Apparently, the sorting of feverfew was an issue of paramount importance. She appeared to take far longer than was necessary, placing each leaf down in it's correct position with care and an odd precision.

It allowed Eaglefang to mull over what he was about to do. It didn't help. He was still trying to dissuade himself. The last time he'd been here, and the medicine cat had pressed on the state of Palewhisper, he'd stormed out after saying he wouldn't tell her anything. Now, he wished he hadn't. The tom's own stubbornness tempted him to leave before he could confide in her anything about the nightmares. _That prophecy,_ Eaglefang thought, _can't mean anything good. What if she tells you something you'd rather not hear?_

But then he thought about Chivedash. The image of Palewhisper in her place was too horrible to comprehend. If this was what it took to aid her, then so be it.

The sound of Ryesong finishing up with the feverfew shot him back to the real world. There was a degree of impatience, and indeed wariness, in the way she spoke next. 'Well?'

Eaglefang closed his eyes, and prepared himself to tell her by inhaling deeply. He still didn't want to do it. He wanted to care for his Clanmate alone.

'It's about Palewhisper,' came his reply.

What her immediate reaction was, the slave didn't know. Whether relief, or incredulity, or harsh judgment furrowed her face wasn't important. He was too busy looking anywhere but at her. The sound of the croaky rise and fall of Harestoop's chest provided a distraction. Up. Down. Up. Down. Or maybe it was his own breathing that he was concentrating on, and the pounding of his own nervous heart in his chest.

The reality was much different. A brown paw reached over and rested on the dusty ground in front of him, and the medicine cat stepped nearer. He risked a look up, almost expecting anger, but instead all he found was a soft understanding. There was something else in their too which he couldn't quite pinpoint. It had been so long since he'd seen the emotion from another cat. Surely it wasn't pity?

'I'm glad you saw sense,' she whispered.

He only shook his head.

'Go on.'

It all came pouring out after that. As soon as the first words passed his lips, it was a river flowing out, fast and free. There were times when Eaglefang was sure that he should've stopped, and not gone into such detail, but he had no idea how to prevent himself from doing so. All control over his tongue appeared to have been lost. Gauging what Ryesong was thinking about it all was even more difficult. Her expression very rarely changed from the empathy of before. When he told her the prophecy itself, a fleeting moment passed where he thought he identified sorrow, but he couldn't be sure.

And then he was finished. All the secrets had been spilled. At last, another cat knew of their troubles.

Ryesong stood up. Much like Palewhisper, her eyes were elsewhere, distant and obviously considering the meaning of the prophecy. He couldn't deny how utterly weak and pathetic he felt. In some ways, ashamed. Resorting to assistance from WindClan had been the final option. If there was one thing fixed in his mind, it had to be detesting them, yet here he was, seeking their help. It stung with all the familiarity of a surrender.

'What does it mean?'

She pressed her lips together. 'Listen, I want you to know that what I'm about to say is pure conjecture. Us medicine cats interpret omens to the best of our abilities, but the essence of our ancestors wil always remain a mystery. We will only know the truth when they decide fate should unfold.'

'Of course,' he snapped. 'Just get on with it.'

One more abject sigh and the she-cat was clearing her throat, as if about to tell him a long and arduous tale. 'I think the first part is obvious enough. It references everything in the past, and all your... misfortunes. In some ways it is about you both, as well being very personal to Palewhisper. The fact that she sees her mother is, well, awful.' She hesitated.

'I don't want your pity.'

His callous, hardened reply forced the medicine cat to straighten up and press on. 'The second part complicates everything. I'm so sorry, but I don't think it's a coincidence these nightmares were sent only to her. _The future is pale as light._ The destiny of her and your Clan are inexplicably linked. All that blood. It can only mean one thing-'

'Stop.'

The world had started to spin all around him. Greenish colours of the herbs and the browns of the den merged together, forming a disorientating haze in front of his vision. He thought he might even collapse. The catastrophic mess that was his emotions were running wild. They churned and twisted in his stomach, setting into the form of one thing. White hot anger, so raw his fur was burning.

He pushed away from Ryesong. He knew what it meant. He knew what she was telling him. He wished he didn't know. He would die before accepting it.

'StarClan!' Eaglefang spat, enraged. 'What did I do to deserve this? Why do you feel the need to keep punishing me, when those who have murdered get away unscathed? I followed your code. I lived the life of a warrior. I was happy! But you took that away. You took everything away, and now, you want to take her from me as well? Is this your idea of destiny? Well I reject it!'

Ignoring the dark brown she-cat's horrified call, he staggered out into the camp. The stars hid behind a cloud as black as their hearts must be. _Cowards,_ he thought.

Incredibly, "help" meant he had to protect Palewhisper all the more.

* * *

 **I know this chapter focused a lot on one particular issue, but it's gonna be very necessary for the rest of the story. I'd love to hear you thoughts on everything that was revealed in a review!**

 **See you next time. :)**

 **-Claud**


	17. Discontinuation and Possible Adoption

**I'm really sorry to anyone who may have still been reading this, but I've decided with a heavy heart to put Slaves on a permanent hiatus. For me, anyway, but I'll come to that later.**

 **I know such a decision considering how far I've already got and the point in the story that I reached might seem unfathomable to some, but the main reason for it is a complete lack of motivation and/or interest. Honestly, throughout the two months since the last update, I tried really hard to keep writing, but whenever I did the stuff I produced was terrible and not worthy of publication. Therefore, it's apparent that I'm no longer capable of carrying the sheer enormity of Slaves' plot and character arcs without not giving them any true substance.**

 **My second and indeed final reason for stopping is that I've reached a point in my secondary school education where I seriously to get my head down and concentrate. Proper windows for writing are getting smaller, and although of course I will not stop writing completely I feel like, for once, fanfiction must take a step down in my priority list.**

 **Saying I am thankful for all of your mindboggling support on this story doesn't really come into it. I could never have asked for more supportive and inspiring readers, and your reviews have really kept the flame of Slaves going. So, thank you for over 100 reviews and nearly 7,000 views, but most importantly, thank you for helping me personally to produce what I think is probably one of my best ever writing works. I'm starting to run out of superlatives to describe you guys!**

 **However, the fact I'm stopping writing doesn't necessarily mean Slaves is over.**

 **I've heard of adoption before, but there's never been a case in my fanfiction history before this story where it's been genuine option. Nevertheless, if there is anyone who may or may not be interested in continuing Slaves for me, then either drop a review or a PM telling me your interest. There might not be anyone, but I feel like I should leave the option open in case there is.**

 **In the case that there isn't, I think I will post one more chapter explaining the rest of the plot that I planned for the trilogy (yes, you read that right) simply for clarity and resolution.**

 **One last time, I hope you've all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing!**

 **-Claud**


	18. Adoption Result

**So, here we are.**

 **I'd like to send out my thanks to everyone who displayed an interest in adopting Slaves for me. The response from reviews and PMs was pretty overwhelming, and when it came down to it it was really hard to choose just one person. There were several really strong candidates! However, one has been chosen and the new story will be posted again on her account soon.**

 **That person, is Cotton Candy Mareep.**

 **Some of you may know about/read her stories already, but I don't think I could've asked for a more assured pair of hands to take over the reigns of the story. I thoroughly suggest you guys go and check out her out if you haven't already. We've exchanged all the plot details and chapter files, and at some point soon, she'll repost everything that I've written so far in a new story (same title and everything) on her account. Then, Slaves can actually continue!**

 **I hope you'll all continue to enjoy reading Slaves!**

 **-Claud**


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